Dealing with the Deluge
WWF and RSA explore how natural urban drainage and water management schemes in towns and cities can mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce the impact of flooding.
Mainstreaming natural flood and waste water management
One in six properties in England are at risk of flooding and the cost of protecting them is expected to swell to £1bn a year by 2035, according the Environment Agency. It estimates that the annual cost of flooding, associated damage to property, infrastructure and loss of business, could rise from £2.5bn to £4bn by 2035 unless funding for flood defences is increased.
Dealing with the deluge: Urban water management in a changing climate argues that sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) can form part of a cost-effective, integrated approach to flood and waste water management whilst improving urban spaces and benefitting wildlife.
Considerable progress has been made implementing SuDS into new developments, but more needs to be done to retrofit the technology into existing buildings. Examples from across the UK and overseas illustrate the many opportunities available.
The report identifies significant social, cultural and political barriers preventing widespread SuDS implementation. It calls on government, regulators, sewage and insurance companies, local authorities, the professional community and NGO's to work together to:
- develop a policy and regulatory framework that encourages sustainable surface water management;
- lead by example and increase capacity and innovation within the sector; and
- improve awareness and understanding of surface water impacts and encourage take-up of SuDS.
