Going with the flow Managing rainfall with Sustainable Drainage Systems

Without SuDS...
What do
SuDS do?
Development can increase the
volume and speed of runoff
which can cause flooding
Around 4 million households
are at threat of surface water
flooding
Pollutants can be washed
into watercourses from
surface water runoff
25% of water bodies fail
standards due to diffuse
water pollution from runoff
There is a lack of wildlife In London 2/3 of front gardens
in urban areas are partially paved, reducing
biodiversity and increasing
There is poor ecological surface water runoff
connectivity (green and
blue corridors) within our With UK population set to
cities reach 70 million by 2028 there
will be greater pressure on
urban infrastructure

Manage Improve Enhance Provide Enable sustainable

water quantity water quality biodiversity amenity development
v
Manages local flood Manages the quality of Creates better Creates better Reduces the need for
risk and protects the surface water runoff to places for nature places for people additional and expensive
natural water cycle reduce pollution underground sewerage
infrastructure

Saves Manages
on costs flood risk
Heavy metal pollution in runoff was
reduced by between 30% - 90% and very Swales, rain gardens, wetlands,
small sediments (which collect other permeable paving, detention basins and
pollutants) by nearly 90% a green roof were used in the school

Reduces flow rates and volumes Manages surface water flood risk
of surface water runoff and
improves quality of the runoff
Provides an attractive learning
environment for the school children
11% saving on construction costs when
compared to traditional drainage and a
r e Rednoc
4% saving on maintenance costs
es h i This Sc k
ience Sch
A variety of SuDS components were

id g in
o
used to prevent surface water runoff

ons ol,
d
b r m p let e Dem entering the combined sewer system
m t Gl
co red and impacting the river
Proven environmental benefits
, C a n
w
t mo
s
a nito tra
or ou
through increased biodiversity and
e
v eve xten m e ely
p siv
Co
lle ce
amenity spaces
ro lo ge s wa te
D a l d n e s co rs
b m h
t i ee
pl ir
n sb
am e
id
s d
e
ha et e
e
s r an Green roof
L

6
d
20 i
Th

in
0

20
09

Tree pits
Wetland

Rills and channels

Naturalised swale
Permeable paving

Detention basin

Swale

Green roof bike shelter

Rain garden

Permeable paving
Re cr
to
t e r o at
De

e poc
Reduces
c
fi t

a
sp Wat
er

an ke
sh
rb

at t p en h
y

ire t ra a r
ct k c
o p ls
c We
the rate of
S ive om u
p m
li
b ru
lli
Provides habitats for a
tre , w ple a y
ne runoff
ell ted i n C
a
variety of flora and fauna e ŵr
et -co in
nn 2 0 1 h m
e yD
Ll
Po ect
ed 4, using l DS c
s 3b
1 k,
SuDS components are used so
cke spa
ce SuDS tr o t a
S u
fi d in
W
2 0
that no surface water runoff
t Pa e
This r mplete
r y’s Reduces combined sewer
enters the sewer system
rk, Londo
was co
n Ma overflow (rainfall and sewage)

Planters, permeable paving, n Quee spills into Loughor Estuary

rain gardens, green roofs, trees

and a swale are used in the
pocket park Peak flow runoff rates
reduces by 77%
Manages surface water flood risk

Provides an attractive local Improves the quality of

community area the local watercourse

Community Manages surface

water flood risk

does the Provides an attractive

maintenance public open space

£
Biodiverse Flexible Slow the flow Mimic nature Resilience Cost effective
SuDS can be biodiverse SuDS includes landscape features SuDS are designed to slow water SuDS mimic nature and SuDS provide greater resilience SuDS are able to reduce
landscape features that and engineered hard components down and treat it before it enters manage rainfall close to to the challenges of climate development costs and
deliver many benefits that can be integrated to manage our watercourses and sewers where it falls change and population growth help to deliver housing
surface water runoff and workplaces
ve , Cambridg
ro es
re e t Pocket P ch ool, Glouce a ry’s Walk, Lla b
D hi
r
St ar S ste M ne
k, oc
k en
m

re rs ll
e

i L e
La

h n
Qu

i
d

hi
ys

on

Re

re
rb

do
De

SuDS create SuDS create flourishing SuDS manage surface water SuDS treat a wide
attractive, pleasant and ecologically diverse runoff flows and volumes range of pollutants in
and useful places environments from developments and surface water runoff
make best use of water

A good SuDS scheme will work with the

opportunities of a site to deliver improvements
in flood risk management, water quality, amenity
and biodiversity making great places to live

enquiries@susdrain.org @Sudsulike susdrain.org

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