Variation in microbial strains and pathogenicity within wetland ecosystem is a topic that needs more considerable attention due to the rising climate change and in human population. Despite many current studies focusing on wetlands ecology, there is still inadequate documentation that are specific to the relationship between bacterial abundance, diversity and pathogenicity, as well as the principles and roles of aquatic plants in wastewater polishing. To provide an understanding on the fate and virulence of members of Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae in a winter tolerant macrophyte dominated artificial wetland system, this study evaluated the efficacy of macrophyte dominated Wastewater Polishing Pond Inclosures (WPPIs) in influencing the abundance, survival and pathogenicity of faecal bacterial pathogens. The study reveals that WPPIs provides more than 95% reduction of pathogenic forms of Escherichia coli as well as Enterococcusfaecalis and Enterococcusfaesium. WPPIs provides a good sustainable and environment friendly alternative approach in wastewater polishing and the efficiency is a factor of macrophytes percentage cover. Therefore, the application of WPPIs in domestic wastewater polishing is recommended for sufficient pollution control on aquatic ecosystems that receive enormous effluents from a highly populated urban set up with huge domestic wastewater generation. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Institution of Chemical Engineers.