We’re looking for community groups and businesses who want to join us by making a positive difference to the local environment.
Applications for our sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) community fund scheme are now closed.
Most rainwater that falls goes into the sewer network. It runs off roofs, roads and hard surfaces and can overwhelm our pipes. When this happens, we may need to use storm overflows to release the water and stop homes and businesses flooding.
Perhaps you could use an adapted water butt to slow the flow of rainwater, or you might find an innovative way to disconnect the rainwater from the sewer altogether. By helping us reduce storm overflows, you’ll make a huge difference to your local community.
Frequently asked questions
Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are an eco-friendly and sustainable way to create better drainage of rainwater and groundwater in communities. This prevents excess water from entering and overwhelming the sewer network or flooding local areas.
Storm overflows are used in areas where the sewers were built to carry both wastewater from homes and businesses, and rainwater from roofs, gardens and roads. During heavy rain, combined sewer network can struggle to cope with the amount of rain and groundwater entering the pipes and storage tanks. When they fill up, excess water is automatically released into local watercourses through pressure relief valves built into the network, known as storm overflows, to stop homes and businesses from flooding.
The best way to reduce storm overflows is to reduce the amount of water that enters the system during heavy rainfall. This is why we’re focussing our efforts on our ‘slow the flow’ initiative, finding innovative new ways to reduce excess water from entering and overwhelming the system. Sustainable drainage systems are a critical part of this, as they can be used to hold, slow and redistribute both rainwater and groundwater.
