Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS)

Sustainable Drainage Systems are measures to attenuate water flow and reduce pollution. There are three main types of SUDS:

  • Source Control Techniques – techniques designed to counter increased surface water runoff close to the source (e.g. porous pavements, infiltration trenches and infiltration basins).
  • Permeable Conveyance Systems – techniques to move runoff water slowly towards receiving water courses, allowing storage, filtering and some loss of water through evaporation (e.g. Filter, or French, drains and swales).
  • Passive Treatment Systems – these use natural processes to remove and break down pollutants from surface water runoff (e.g. filter strips, detention basins, retention ponds and wetlands).

The use of SuDS is becoming more important with developments now having to demonstrate how they are not going to increasing the surface water runoff from the site. Phlorum is able to assist with this process through its extensive experience in providing SuDS assessments for projects nation wide.

flood risk data sheet

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