ABSTRACT

Wetlands, whether natural or artificial, are water resources and as such attract a variety of organisms both vertebrate and invertebrate that may cause disease. Natural wetlands have a biogeochemical cycling function, trapping a variety of substrates for long periods and purifying the water that passes through them (Breen 1989; Hammer 1992). Artificial wetlands are now being constructed in many localities to ‘polish’ urban wastewaters by removing organic and inorganic contaminants before direction of the waters into natural drainage systems. In urban areas, wetlands offer the additional advantage of being seen as attractive ‘greening’ features, providing passive recreation areas and desirable assets such as wildlife refuges.