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Flood Risk & Drainage SuDS: The State of the Natio


On 20 December, Hydro International hosted the timely Round Table debate in the Council Room of Haberdashers Hall, London.


SuDS: The State of the Nation was a timely investigation by Engineering Nature’s Way, the knowledge-sharing website for SuDS, into the progress being made towards more widespread use of Sustainable Drainage Systems in the UK. It was conducted in association with CIWEM (Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management), SBWWI (Society of British Water and Wastewater Industries) and British Water.


Commissioned by Hydro International, SuDS: The State of the Nation began by taking a snapshot of Lead Local Authorities preparing to establish SuDS Approving Bodies for new development in England and Wales. The Round Table debate, under the chairmanship of Alastair Moseley, Honorary Vice President, included local government representatives, industry specialists and drainage experts, asked the question “where do we go from here?”


Sustainable drainage systems (or SuDS) are hailed as a powerful weapon in the battle to build better urban flood resilience. Such is their promise that plans are in place to make SuDS compulsory for new development in England and Wales through the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.


Despite the emphatic recommendations of Sir Michael Pitt following 2007’s devastating floods, which led to the Act, implementation of the SAB role and accompanying National Standards for SuDS has been subject to continued delays.


Prompted by the delay, Hydro set out to survey Lead Local Flood Authorities during November and December 2012. The results suggest that the delays may have led local authorities to doubt the Government’s long-term commitment to SuDS implementation. Of those questioned, 68% believed the Government was either ‘not entirely committed, or ‘not committed at all’ to long-term implementation of SuDS.


The 149 local authority officers who participated in the survey represented a broad range of Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) across England and Wales who will operate SuDS Approving Bodies (SABs) as well as some district councils who may be given delegated functions.


Most (60%) believed they were not yet sufficiently prepared to take on the new SAB roles and 75% felt they needed further training. Only 26% believe they have access to sufficient funds to the new approval role which relates only to new development.


24 www.fadsdirectory.com


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