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The performance of surface and subsurface flow constructed wetlands present challenges to the designer because of natural biological processes leading to seasonal fluctuations in performance. The four systems described demonstrate the problems and successes in designing wastewater treatment systems for the removal of BOD, TSS and nitrogen using constructed wetlands. Wetlands provide an attractive, low cost, low energy alternative, provided that the designer takes into account the advantages and the limitations. Significant energy savings are possible if anaerobic pretreatment and land application treatment processes are combined with wetlands. The result is a carbon sequestering system; atmospheric carbon reduction results through both energy savings and retention of long chain carbon compounds. Resulting energy savings are compared to conventional mechanical systems.