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hot topic
England needs to upgrade its approach to SuDS
Jo Bradley, Former Convenor of British Water’s Sustainable Water Management Focus Group and Rainwater Management Technical Principal at United Utilities, addresses the more houses...
There was a big number in the government’s manifesto: A pledge to build 1.5 million homes over the course of this parliament. It was a challenging target when it was set, and subsequent events have shown how much work will be required to hit it. It would be easy to try and cut corners
in order to build more of the homes that people need but we also need to make sure that the homes we build are resilient
for what the future holds. We are living in a climate crisis – as this summer’s drought demonstrates – and that means longer, more intense periods of dry weather but also heavier, more frequent rainfall. Sustainable drainage schemes are an essential part of making our homes more resilient in the face of this change. These schemes include retention ponds, wetlands, infiltration basins or shallow
ditches that allow surface water to drain away over time, reducing the risk of flooding while also retaining water that can help sustain the local environment during droughts. We do have a tool to make sure these schemes are a compulsory element of every new development in England: Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act.
Continued on P. 18...
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