Basics of SuDS and its

Implementation in UK
Virendra Choollun PhD (Civil), MBA, C.Eng. MICE
Lead Civil Engineer,
Engineering & Technical Services
Intro & Context : Water and Sewage Company’s
Responsibility
▪ The new rules, which are part of the Sewerage Sector Guidance documentation approved by Ofwat under
its Code for Adoption Agreements was implemented from 1st April 2020.
▪ The rules, which can be found in the Design and Construction Guidance (DCG) implemented under the
Sewerage Sector Guidance, allows English water and sewerage companies (WaSCs) to adopt a wider range
of sewer types, including those with sustainable elements, than they had done before.
▪ Relying largely on pipes and hard engineered structures, are not always the best way to deal with the
drainage of surface water. It may be preferable if surface water - rainwater falling on hard surfaces like roofs
and hard standing around houses – is left to infiltrate into the ground or returned to a watercourse, rather
than flowing directly into a piped sewer system.
▪ The aim is to mimic natural processes through a range of techniques which are often described as
sustainable drainage systems (SuDS).

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 SuDS - Basics
Sustainable drainage systems
(SuDS) are designed to manage
stormwater locally (as close its
source as possible), to mimic
natural drainage and encourage its
infiltration, attenuation and passive How SuDS function – Management Train :
treatment. 1. Attenuation – slow down flow –storage
4- Pillars of SuDS (CIRIA C753) 2. Infiltration – soak into the ground
- Manage Water Quality – reduced 3. Conveyance – moving from one part to
pollutants another
- Control Quantity 4. Interception – first 5mm taken up by
plants or lost through evaporation
- Improve Biodiversity
5. Evapotranspiration
- Deliver Amenity 6. Pollution treatment
Figures and Illustrations courtesy of CIRIA 753 and other CIRIA and WaterUK Publications

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Generally, the aim should be to discharge
surface run off as high up the following
hierarchy of drainage options as reasonably
practicable.
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Primary Storage Systems for interception and attenuation
▪ Swales – with check dams, deals with pollution by
treating it within the system. Grass swales are good at
doing this.
▪ Bioretention systems or Rain Gardens: drain road,
parking areas and other hard surfaces.
▪ Filter strips – areas of grass that falls away from roads.
Feeds into filter drains benefits on quantity and quality.
▪ Tree pits, Water Butts
Secondary Storage Systems
▪ Detention Basins for infiltration and attenuation which
maybe final discharge
▪ Ponds and Wetlands – ensure water flows through.
Hold water above their normal level & discharge it
slowly.
▪ Soakaways
Examples: Detention Basins and
Swales

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Examples: Rills and Under-drained Swales

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Examples: Ponds/Wetlands and Infiltration basins
and soakaways

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Examples: Highway Drainage and Private Drainage

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Implementation
▪ The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) expects that SuDS should be used as first preference in developments of any
size. Specifically, priority should be given to the use of sustainable drainage systems in areas at risk of flooding.

▪ The Local Planning Authority (LPA) approves the surface water drainage arrangements for new developments and
redevelopments in accordance with the NPPF, local policies and any supplementary planning documents.

▪ The Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) provides guidance to the LPA as a statutory consultee for all major developments. They
may provide advice, where resources permit, for other developments. The LLFA will also regulate any work carried out in or in
proximity to non-main rivers (ordinary watercourses) except in areas where there is an Internal Drainage Board (IDB).

▪ The Environment Agency (EA) is a statutory consultee to the LPA in areas designated as critical drainage areas and sites within
20 m of a main river. The EA also regulates any work carried out in or in proximity to a main river.

▪ The Highway Authority will assess, approve and adopt highway drainage features that only serve the highway. This may include
SuDS features.
▪ The water and sewerage company will assess proposals for drainage systems on new and
re-developments where the developer applies to have the sewers adopted.
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CIRIA C687 – Planning for SuDS

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Land transfers/easements

▪ The Sewerage Sector Guidance allows limited variations from the requirements of the
DCG. In relation to surface water sewers, local variations are allowed in respect of the
individual water and sewerage company’s requirements for easements for surface
water discharges to watercourse, bodies of water, sewers within third party land and
sewers which may form part of another feature.

▪ In principle, either a land transfer or the use of an easement may be used by the water
and sewerage company to adopt and maintain the SuDS features of an adoptable
sewer. It is considered that the preferred option will be to use easements, rather than
transferring land (much like underground piped systems).

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Extent of Adoption

• The water and sewerage company will be

responsible for the conveyance and storage
functions of the SuDS features.

• This limits transfer to the surface of the

channel and the contents of the channel,
such as vegetation, inlets, outlets and flow
control devices, up to the line based on the
extent of the asset needed to deal with
1:100-year rainfall events, including an
allowance for climate change.

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Management of Surface Water Flows
Awareness of Flood Routing and Overland Flows
▪ Existing Flow Routes into / through the site.
▪ Estimate the outline of the catchment(s)
which have the potential to contribute excess
flow to the site based on surface water flood
mapping and points of inflow to the site.
Design to 1:30, 1:100 and 1:200 Flood
Events
▪ What factors / unknowns are likely to
influence the accuracy of a detailed hydraulic
model predictions?
▪ Modified Flow Routes into / through the site.
Designing for Exceedance Flows
(CIRIA Report C635 Designing for Exceedance)
Surface water drainage up to design horizon -runoff
from roofs, yards belonging to those buildings and,
subject to the agreement of the sewerage company, the
runoff from streets. Assume impermeability of 100%
•An impermeability of 100% for the whole site area
(including soft landscaped areas) should be used in all
cases when determining exceedance flows
•Any additional capacity required to meet the local
authority's requirements may be provided using
another component or a designated overland flow
route
(no operation <1 in 30 yr)
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 Questions ??

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