Sustainable Drainage (SuDS) is not an aspirational pseudo-science but a practical application of traditional water management techniques applied to the modern environment whether urban or, increasingly, rural.
These techniques, outlined in the following pages, are designed to:
The term sustainable captures the inherent benefits that a more natural water management approach can offer.
Simply pushing water as fast as possible into a pipe and tank solution can only deal with quantity and a fixed quantity at that. Sustainable Drainage, or SUDS, looks at drainage in the round and the integration of a host of benefits that are being recognised including, multi-use of space, water quality treatment, greening the urban landscape, bio-diversity (including net gain), reducing heat island effects as well as health benefits such as air quality improvements.
The following pages are a neutral look at SUDS today in the UK and hopefully give you a flavour of the subject. I have included a number of key links to technical support literature to assist in the design and implementation of your SuDS scheme.
Rainwater harvesting
A short look at some early examples of SuDS before the term was “invented”.
Source control, area control, quantity, quality
An overview to the principles of SuDS and terminology.
Rain gardens, swales, infiltration, ponds, wetlands, rills, bioretention, filter strips
A “catalogue” of many of the main components regularly referenced ass SuDS components.
Rain garden, pervious pavement, private SuDS, property level SuDS
A couple of examples of the application of SuDS features at a property level – equally relevant at the large scale as well.
These links are a high level look at SuDS, its origins, principles and techniques as well as a few recent examples of a private application of these techniques.
The main official website for all things SuDS hosted by CIRIA
A link to the CIRIA design guide for SuDS (the standard reference document for the UK application of SuDS) “The SuDS Manual (C753) 2015”
In April 2020 Sewers for Adoption (applicable only to England) was replaced by the “Design and Construction Guidance”. This is available as Appendix C of the new Sewerage Sector Guidance and includes details of SuDS elements that can now be potentially adopted by Water Companies.
https://www.water.org.uk/sewerage-sector-guidance-approved-documents/
https://www.water.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SSG-App-C-Des-Con-Guide-v-2-100320-C.pdf
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges – main guidance for strategic and trunk highways
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges – Design of highway drainage
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges – LA 113 - Road Drainage and the water environment
Code of Practice for Green Roofs
Interpave – The precast concrete paving and kerb association website including pervious and permeable paving guidance
Please note that the links provided below are live as of August 2020. Hopefully the descriptions provided may help in relocating the links or similar links should they not be accessible.
This is not an exhaustive list of links but hopefully gives some of the key documents and guides that can assist.
I have put this website together as an informal depository of knowledge and hints to assist anyone who is interested in the subject of sustainable drainage and wants to find out more but may not know where to start. This is my take on the subject and not driven by any agenda apart from wanting to share information.
I am a Civil Engineer and Chartered Environmentalist having worked on drainage schemes from anything from a single house to very large garden village schemes, industrial schemes and energy projects including power stations. My work has been throughout the process from initial concept design through planning and detail design to implementation on the ground. I have also given Expert Witness testimony on a number of Public Inquiries related to drainage and flood risk.
