VIEWPOINT
BRITAIN UNDER WATER
Benjamin Birkhead, design technician and SuDS specialist, Marshalls
WEATHER WARNINGS are in place for heavy rain across the Midlands, southern England, Lincolnshire, East Anglia, and south Wales. Flood warnings have also been issued for high-risk areas and roads. The growth of infrastructure, such as car parks and shopping centres, has seen the ground in towns and cities sealed and become ‘waterproofed’. In rural areas, rainwater permeates naturally into the ground, leaving only a small amount of water to run into waterways.
In urban areas with greater ground covered by infrastructure, finding ways to encourage natural permeation is crucial. However, there are sustainable drainage systems and mitigative measures that can be considered in areas of high flood risk.
In 2001, Marshalls launched a range of permeable paving for homeowners and use in commercial applications to install as an alternative to hard landscaping and help surface water percolate to the ground below. Not only is this paving option great for mitigating water runoff, but it also helps prevent water pollution, naturally filtering the water through the level below the paving stones rather than the water running directly into drains and sewers. Available in quite a few design options, permeable paving is a viable design choice for any style of project. Here are some of the most common questions we get when it comes to permeable paving:
Does permeable paving get clogged up and stop working? “No, this isn’t the case. Independent studies have proven this time and again, and we’ve also carried out a field test with full-size rainfall simulators to prove this point and reassure
those worried about the maintenance and performance of this paving option.”
Is it difficult to maintain a permeable pavement? “No, this is a low-maintenance option. Under normal conditions, a permeable pavement will work perfectly well with no maintenance whatsoever. However sometimes a build up is created and it does need cleaing, I can assure you that this is a very simple process.”
Are soft SuDS better at cleansing water runoff than permeable pavements? “No. A large-scale test with Coventry University proved that permeable pavements provide excellent water-cleansing properties. These are a great sustainable option for water drainage, encouraging natural drainage rather than redirection to drains and sewers”
There are things you can advise your customers to do to prepare for a flood:
March 2024
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
1 - Make a flood plan “Make note of the items you most want to protect, this way you will be prepared in the event of a worst-case scenario. In the lead-up, waterproof these items using sealed bags or place them higher up in your home, moving them to the first floor or into higher cupboards. Important documents should be high up on this list, if you live in a flood-risk area it can be beneficial to always keep these in a waterproof file.”
2 - Make flood-resilient adjustments to your home “Installing floor tiles instead of carpeting can help reduce damages from flooding and protect the infrastructure of your home. Alongside this, replacing wooden external doors with stainless steel can provide additional resistance against flooding and water-weight. If you are moving to a flood-risk area and have the option to make these adjustments to your home, moving plug sockets higher up the wall, especially in ground-
level rooms, is a great choice for preventing excess damage from floods”
3 - Know your flood risk “Sign up for the Environmental Agency’s flood alerts so you are notified of warnings and have time to prepare. If you are faced with a warning, you will then have more time to go through your flood plan, moving valuable items to safer spots around the house.”
4 - Increase permeability “Permeable paving can be a great option for driveways in high-risk areas of flooding. Alternatively, gravel and chippings provide permeable surfaces for the water to filter through rather than remaining on the surface. “In your garden, keeping areas of natural land can help reduce flood risks.
“Sectioning areas of your garden off for lawns and planting beds can provide additional points of water filtration in heavy downpours.” BMJ
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