PLUMBING & DRAINAGE
A HARD RAIN’S GONNA FALL
With increasingly heavier rainfall, the built environment is at greater risk of flooding and damage, which means Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) will come into their own.
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t’s no secret that thanks to climate change, our weather ecosystem is becoming more volatile. In the 2020 State of Climate report, the Met Office declared that between 2011-2020, the UK received 9% more rain compared to 1961-1990. This drastic increase in rainfall has left urban areas at risk of flooding and water damage.
This is especially as we increase the pace in building but continue to construct out of unabsorbant materials such as concrete and bricks. Many builders know this cannot continue and are turning to SuDS solutions to protect the urban environment from heavy rainfall and flash floods.
That’s according to Mark Halsall, National Sales Manager (Stormwater Control) at ACO Water Management, who says that one of the key challenges of installing drainage into urban areas is working with minimal amounts of space and utilising what is available. “This often requires innovative approaches to surface water management within tight building footprints to ensure effective flood mitigation, and merchants have a big role to play in helping contractors select the right solutions,” he says.
Small solutions for big problems
In locations where space is an issue, Halsall says that ACO’s Stormwater attenuation crates offer a simple solution to heavy rainfall and excess water. “Geocellular structured systems, such as ACO’s StormBrixx HD GF and SD, can provide water runoff storage whilst being able to fit into small spaces. StormBrixx can be configured to a site’s unique requirements. Through patented brick bonding and cross bonding, the system offers flexibility in design, and unparalleled stability in construction,” he explains. A recent project located in a basement car park on Streatham Road in central London saw a StormBrixx water management system installed
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to cope with the tricky issues of minimal room and proximity to the busy high street. To combat the limited space, StormBrixx tanks were installed around the
perimeter to create the right level of attenuation. This allowed for rainfall to be collected within a contained space instead of flowing into the carpark.
Maintaining the system Another area that Halsall says merchants should be aware of when advising their customers is maintenance of a water management system.
“If a water management system is fitted into a small, tight fitting location, ensuring that the structure receives the necessary maintenance is a must. Over time, dirt and debris will clog up a drainage system, causing water flow to be prohibited. This can cause water to back up and pool around the drainage system, resulting in the opposite desired effect,” he says.
“Failing to routinely maintain any stormwater system can lead to poor performance, reduced capacity, and future effectiveness of the system. It is therefore important to consider access points for inspection and maintenance within the drainage system,” he continues, adding that, as ACO StormBrixx has an open structure, when paired with access units, this can provide a maintainable and easily accessible system. Regular maintenance will ensure that the system remains effective in managing surface water
With the urbanisation of land showing no signs of slowing down, more builders will be tasked to incorporate SuDS in urban environments where space isn’t always available. Not only will the demand increase, the push for more sustainable solutions is also likely to intensify, which means water management systems are no longer purely a means to remove light rainwater. Halsall says: “At the front line of supply, merchants will have a critical role to play in flooding and drainage by advising customers on the appropriate systems for their needs.” The use of well-maintained SuDS can help guarantee that a building project does not negatively impact the area surrounding it whilst performing its role as an effective water management system. He continues: “As we combat land shortages and battle changing weather systems, versatile products that are designed to be suitable across a variety of building projects, such as ACO StormBrixx, will be vital to creating long standing structures. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net February 2022
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