RAINWATER MANAGEMENT T
he start of 2025 has seen the UK battle a series of extreme weather conditions, and according to Greenpeace UK, rising temperatures caused by climate change. This has meant an increase in rain and subsequently flooding, alongside water scarcity and droughts across the UK.
Storms are also becoming a larger weather issue as warmer sea temperatures increase wind speeds and drive water on-land.
“To safeguard the UK’s future communities, there is a need for manufacturers, designers, and merchants to work collaboratively to implement sustainable practices in their new developments,” says Richard Eddy, category manager of underground and utilities at Polypipe Building Products.
“Innovative solutions such as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) - utilising products like our below-ground and above-ground drainage systems, can build resilience against climate-induced water challenges on-site, in residential and domestic settings. We work with housebuilders to create systems tailored to the threats of each individual site – there is no one size fits all approach.”
The government’s target of building 1.5 million homes over the next five years, alongside the recent and significant planning reforms, puts further pressure on housebuilders to deliver homes that are capable of withstanding the UK’s environmental pressures.
He explains: “This presents the industry with a potential trade-off between eco-friendly considerations and ambitious construction targets. According to the think-tank Localis, over 7,000 new homes are set to be built on floodplain land.
“The impact of this on merchants and manufacturers, as well as others in the construction industry, is the desperate need to avoid the dangers of flooding. To do so, on-plot sustainable drainage systems, which connect to site-wide strategies, are desperately needed in modern homes and housing estates.”
What can be done?
“The implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) can address these pressing issues and help to create a sustainable future,” explains Eddy. “SuDS offer an alternative to traditional drainage by managing surface water and flood risks. They align modern drainage systems with natural water processes as well as using the drainage hierarchy as set out in the 2012 National Planning Policy Framework. Put simply SuDS mimic natural processes to manage rainfall by storing water, allowing it to infiltrate into the ground, or slowly release it.”
Problems with traditional drainage networks, such as downstream flooding and a deterioration in water quality, can be alleviated by sustainable drainage via storing or reusing surface water at the source. This method of source control manages surface water discharge from sites and decreases the volume – improving overall water quality too.
Eddy says: “Below-ground and above-ground drainage systems can be used as SuDS to prevent modern homes from the effects of flooding due to excessive amounts of rain – and reduce the inevitable impact of climate change. And with 4.6 million properties at risk of flooding from surface water, and 2.4 million from rivers and the sea in the UK, it is more important than ever for merchants to provide contractors with these proactive solutions.”
The criteria for SuDS For SuDS to be adopted in modern housebuilding, there is a criterion that must be applicable. However, the UK’s fragmented regulatory landscape, with varying local standards, confuses and deters developers with complex approval processes.
“We need joined-up policies, clear guidance, and greater support for developers,” he says. “This could take the form of technical resources,
April 2025
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
WEATHER EVENTS MEAN DRAINAGE RETHINK
Sustainable drainage systems are increasingly required as a response to the changing climate conditions, as BMJ finds out.
expert advice, training programmes, and financial incentives. Tackling climate change and promoting sustainable drainage practices isn’t something that can be achieved in isolation. It requires collaboration across industries and political parties.
“In the UK, the adoption of SuDS is shaped by the legislative framework for water management and urban development, most notably the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. This legislation promotes sustainable surface water management for new and redeveloped sites, making SuDS a key part of modern development.”
The effectiveness of SuDS relies on a deep understanding of a site’s individual characteristics and so merchants should explains to customers that customising SuDS to suit each site reduces the need for extensive, costly engineered solutions.
Eddy concludes: “Merchants can offer innovative solutions such as below and above- ground drainage options to combat growing environmental problems, offering contractors a solution to improving the potential health and safety dangers of rain and drought. By integrating these sustainable systems, developers can not only comply with emerging regulations but also contribute to creating urban areas that are designed to absorb and reuse rainwater for a sustainable future.” BMJ
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