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Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)
The design of modern urban developments and the management of water flows and catchment areas now require levels of efficiency and effectiveness that are measured in terms of sustainability. Social economic and environmental imperatives require new approaches and there are many documents that have been published by the Government and Environmental Bodies that require developers to review these issues on developments and consider the environmental impact on a site by site basis.
Some conventional surface water drainage techniques can cause flooding and pollution and disrupt the water cycle to the detriment of water resources and the natural environment, and a different approach is needed to reach a more sustainable solution.
Any built up area will need to be drained to remove surface water. Traditionally this has been done using underground pipe systems designed for quantity to prevent flooding locally by conveying the water away as quickly as possible. The alteration of natural flow patterns can lead to problems elsewhere in the catchment. More recently water quality issues have become important due to the pollutants from urban areas being washed into rivers, or the groundwater.
Conventional drainage systems cannot easily control poor run-off quality and may contribute to the problem. Historically the amenity aspects, such as water resources, community facilities, landscape potential, and provision of varied wildlife habitats, have largely been ignored. Conventional drainage systems are not designed with these wider considerations in mind. Continuing to drain built-up areas with limited objectives and ignoring water issues is not a sustainable long term option.
Drainage systems can be developed in line with the ideas of sustainable development by balancing the different issues that should be influencing the design. Surface water drainage methods that take account of quantity, quality, and amenity issues are collectively referred to as sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS). These systems are more sustainable than conventional drainage methods because they manage run-off flow rates, reducing the impact on urbanisation on flooding, protect or enhance water quality, are sympathetic to the environment setting together with the needs local community and provide a habitat for wildlife in urban water courses and finally encouraging natural ground water recharge.
Urban drainage systems can add value to the built environment when incorporating carefully designed SUDS solution into a residential development and an example of this is the surface water attenuation facility that was constructed for our residential development at Dickens Heath and is an example of the integration of a SUDS solution.
The location and long term maintenance of these facilities has always got to be carefully considered including the risks to health and safety and whereever possible the provision of SUDS facilities are offered up for adoption by the Local Authority to ensure they are satisfactorily maintained in perpetuity therefore guaranteeing their correct operation and achieving the environmental long term goals of the project.
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Redrow in action - Water Management
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)
The design of modern urban developments and the management of water flows and catchment areas now require levels of efficiency and effectiveness that are measured in terms of sustainability. Social economic and environmental imperatives require new approaches and there are many documents that have been published by the Government and Environmental Bodies that require developers to review these issues on developments and consider the environmental impact on a site by site basis.
Some conventional surface water drainage techniques can cause flooding and pollution and disrupt the water cycle to the detriment of water resources and the natural environment, and a different approach is needed to reach a more sustainable solution.
Any built up area will need to be drained to remove surface water. Traditionally this has been done using underground pipe systems designed for quantity to prevent flooding locally by conveying the water away as quickly as possible. The alteration of natural flow patterns can lead to problems elsewhere in the catchment. More recently water quality issues have become important due to the pollutants from urban areas being washed into rivers, or the groundwater.
Conventional drainage systems cannot easily control poor run-off quality and may contribute to the problem. Historically the amenity aspects, such as water resources, community facilities, landscape potential, and provision of varied wildlife habitats, have largely been ignored. Conventional drainage systems are not designed with these wider considerations in mind. Continuing to drain built-up areas with limited objectives and ignoring water issues is not a sustainable long term option.
Drainage systems can be developed in line with the ideas of sustainable development by balancing the different issues that should be influencing the design. Surface water drainage methods that take account of quantity, quality, and amenity issues are collectively referred to as sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS). These systems are more sustainable than conventional drainage methods because they manage run-off flow rates, reducing the impact on urbanisation on flooding, protect or enhance water quality, are sympathetic to the environment setting together with the needs local community and provide a habitat for wildlife in urban water courses and finally encouraging natural ground water recharge.
Urban drainage systems can add value to the built environment when incorporating carefully designed SUDS solution into a residential development and an example of this is the surface water attenuation facility that was constructed for our residential development at Dickens Heath and is an example of the integration of a SUDS solution.
The location and long term maintenance of these facilities has always got to be carefully considered including the risks to health and safety and whereever possible the provision of SUDS facilities are offered up for adoption by the Local Authority to ensure they are satisfactorily maintained in perpetuity therefore guaranteeing their correct operation and achieving the environmental long term goals of the project.
« Back to Promoting the Lessons of Sustainability
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