Ever wondered where the rain goes? Sustainable drainage animation

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With the need for SuDS greater than ever before, we provide up-to-date guidance, information, case studies, videos, and photos that help to underpin the planning, design, approval, construction and maintenance of SuDS.

For too long we have treated rainwater as waste, paved over our urban areas and simply flushed surface water down pipes into an overloaded sewerage system. But as recent heavy flooding has shown, these systems can no longer cope with the volumes generated during rainfall. Carrying on as usual is no longer an option and doing things differently is now an essential requirement for managing surface water, especially if we are to adapt to a changing climate and protect our rivers and beaches from pollution. Quite simply, we need another solution.

SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) are the solution to this challenge. They also provide the ideal opportunity to bring urban wetlands and other wildlife-friendly green spaces into our towns and cities and link these with existing habitats creating blue and green corridors. Well-designed SuDS should also be an amenity and education resource for the community, providing high-quality public green space in which to relax, play and enjoy wildlife.

However, whilst there are some good examples of this already, there is still a long way to go before SuDS fulfil their potential to integrate surface water management and water quality improvements with people and wildlife benefits. SuDS provide the ideal opportunity for local authorities to deliver multiple benefits and for little or no extra cost. In fact, these sustainable solutions are very often cheaper to build and maintain than conventional drainage solutions.