Sustainable drainage video transcript
This video transcript is for the sustainable drainage video.
Ever wondered where the rain goes?
During an hour's storm enough rainfall may fall on a driveway to fill three baths. So where does it go?
Naturally rain is absorbed and soaked into the ground. Evaporating from the surface and taken up by plants or finding its way slowly into streams and rivers. But development changes the natural water cycle and where our rain goes by increasing surface runoff flow and picking up pollution, which can lead to flooding as the flow of water and drainage is restricted.
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) help by turning rainfall management into an exciting opportunity.
- wetlands
- permeable paving
- naturalised swales
- wet basins/ ponds
- dry basins
- tree pits
- rain gardens
- green roofs
- bioretention areas
- rills and channels
Existing streets and spaces can be retrofitted with SuDS, using permeable surfaces allows rainfall to soak into the ground. Rills, channels and bioretention areas slow the flow, treat the water and store the rain. Trees improve our streets by capturing surface water runoff, providing biodiversity and shade. SuDS create greener, more pleasant places.
Commercial areas can benefit too, managing their impact and making them attractive:
- green roofs
- underground storage
- bioretention areas
- permeable paving
- swales and basins
Using Sustainable Drainage Systems brings a wide range of benefits:
- helping to manage surface water flood risk
- improving water quality in our watercourses
- enabling development
- providing great spaces for the community
- creating attractive an wildlife friendly places
- adapting to a changing climate
Vist susdrain.org to find out more about managing flood risk, improving water quality and creating better places.
Our partners
- ACO
- AECOM
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Environment Agency
- Hydro International
Our supporters
- ARUP
- 3P Technik UK
- Black & Veatch
- Campbell Reith
- EPG
- Formpave
- Illman Young
- eWater
- Lambeth
- McCloy Consulting
- Micro Drainage
- MWH
- Polypipe
- RAA
- Royal Haskoning DHV
Follow us online:
Twitter - @sudsulike
Website - susdrain.org