Climate change and urbanisation are pushing our drainage networks to the edge of their capabilities – and beyond. A combination of a preference for impermeable surfaces, population growth and more intense rainfall events (owing to climate change) has left our sewer networks struggling to cope. The result? More frequent surface water flooding, overwhelmed wastewater treatment works and harmful combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges into rivers and seas.
Innovation for Better Flood Resilience
But there is a smart, scalable solution: Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). When implemented at scale, discrete SuDS interventions add up to an effect that is more than the sum of their parts, providing a transformative positive impact on urban water management capabilities – without the cost and long-term disruption of overhauling existing sewer infrastructure.
The solution isn’t just about expanding capacity, it’s about working smarter, and using nature-based systems to deliver wider benefits as well as solve the immediate issue of easily overwhelmed sewers. SuDS offer a way to manage water sustainably, easing the burden on traditional sewer systems while simultaneously delivering improved environmental and social outcomes.
Scalable, Sustainable and Effective
When deployed strategically at scale, small SuDS interventions – such as permeable paving, raingardens, bioswales, green roofs and tree pits – can deliver huge benefits. These features help slow, store and filter stormwater at source, preventing it from overwhelming drainage networks. The advantages include:
- Reduced flood risk: small SuDS absorb and attenuate stormwater before it reaches sewers, reducing surface water flooding.
- Improved water quality: SuDS filter out pollutants, preventing contaminants from washing into rivers and watercourses.
- Quick, low-disruption installation: unlike major drainage infrastructure projects, SuDS can be installed rapidly with minimal disruption to local communities.
- Enhanced urban biodiversity: green SuDS features provide vital habitats for pollinators and other wildlife, improving ecological health.
- Better public spaces: green SuDS create more attractive, cooler and quieter streetscapes, improving urban liveability.
Proven Performance, Engineered for Success
The effectiveness of SuDS is no longer theoretical, it’s proven. Independently tested systems, developed by hydraulic engineering specialists, demonstrate that SuDS can handle significant stormwater volumes while maintaining efficiency over time.
For example, our SuDSPOD product has been undergoing testing by EUGINE (Enhancing Urban Green Infrastructure via kNowledge Exchange) – a collaborative project between The University of Sheffield and Severn Trent Water – and the interim results have highlighted SuDSPod as a highly effective attenuation solution for managing stormwater at the downpipe level.
The trial demonstrated that the SuDSPod provides significant peak flow attenuation, reducing peak inflow by up to 5.9 l/min for a 46.5 m² catchment during an M10-240 rainfall event. The system maintained consistent performance over the four-month trial period, with no reported maintenance issues. Additionally, its robust hydraulic model has been validated against real-world data, confirming its ability to predict and manage water flow effectively.
These findings position the SuDSPod as a reliable, scalable and low-maintenance solution for sustainable urban drainage, making it an attractive option for widespread deployment where there is a need for pressure to be taken off the existing sewer network to reduce surfacewater flooding and CSO discharges.
What’s more, sourcing SuDS solutions – like SuDSPOD – from UK manufacturers ensures not only a high quality of product but also a lower carbon footprint, as there are reduced distances involved in shipping. Using recycled materials, working with local installation partners, and supporting British industry all add social value, while delivering sustainable urban drainage improvements.
Small SuDS at Large Scale = Flood Resilience
The key to a resilient urban drainage strategy isn’t just one-off sustainable drainage projects, it’s scaling small SuDS of this nature across entire neighbourhoods, towns and cities. By embedding green drainage features into streetscapes, housing developments and public spaces, we create a distributed network of flood resilience measures that protect communities, improve water quality and enhance urban environments.
SuDS are not just a ‘nice-to-have’, they are a necessity for future-proofing urban infrastructure against climate change. To find out more about the proven capabilities of our SuDSPOD, and other discrete SuDS solutions suitable for deploying at scale, simply click below.
