landscaping & external works
A flood of reasons for designed-in SuDS
Integrating Sustainable Urban Drainage systems (SuDS) into every future urban design project is the ideal solution for effective water management to combat the effects of climate change. Ian Geeson, technical manager at Charcon, the commercial hard landscaping division at Aggregate Industries, describes how harnessing the versatility of systems using good design can also benefit visual appeal and scheme delivery.
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affected. Damage to roads, bridges, public rights of way and drainage systems totalled £250m and the insurance bill topped £1.3bn, but the cause of these traumatic events was not only rivers breaking their banks. In the natural environment, a high proportion of rainfall
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soaks into the ground, filters its way into rivers and is carried away. However, in the urban environment where there is exten- sive use of hard surfaces, water is unable to soak away and there are resulting high volumes of surface water run-off during storms. This water enters drainage systems that were never designed to have the capacity to cope with such high volumes, and this is what happened this winter on a grand scale. In built up areas there was nowhere for the water to go and thousands of gallons poured into the sewer systems resulting in water backing up and flooding roads, homes and businesses. There are a number of high performance and cost effective Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) solutions available
nce again this winter the UK saw widespread flood- ing, with 16,000 homes in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and parts of central and north east Scotland
which are designed to manage surface water runoff. However, too often during the design process, the role SuDS can play in urban design and effective water management is misunder- stood, an afterthought, or perhaps forgotten entirely.
A holistic approach brings wide benefits
There is a common misconception that SuDS can only be used in certain applications. But in fact, they can be applied to any residential, commercial or urban project, whether in small towns or built-up city centres. And whilst they can’t prevent flooding, by introducing permeable surfaces coupled with water storage and infiltration systems, surface water run-off will decrease, relieving pressure on drainage and sewer networks ultimately helping reduce potential flooding. The use of these techniques is well proven and documented. While the technology is not a new concept in the UK,
architects, designers and engineers often forget that there is much more to SuDS than water storage. As well as reducing water run-off and the risk of flooding it can also help remove pollutants and create societal and biodiversity benefits. Water
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