Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
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'Greta Thunberg effect' could help to push SuDS forward The Talk: Events G rowing support for action on climate change could help SuDS to progress in England, speakers told the WWT Sustainable Drainage Systems Conference. Climate change has been in the spotlight recently with Swedish teen Greta Thunberg having inspired non-violent protests around the globe and the UK becoming the first national government to declare an Environ- ment and Climate Emergency. Several speakers at the Sustainable Drainage Systems Conference in Birming- ham highlighted the potential knock-on ef- fect of these developments on SuDS, which could play an important role in tackling the increased flood threat posed by climate change while bringing other benefits such as aiding biodiversity. "We've just had Extinction Rebellion, we've had Greta Thunberg meeting Michael Gove," conference chair Sue Illman, the managing director Illman Young Landscape Design, said in her introduction. "It would be nice to think that awareness could be filtered into what we're doing." Yorkshire Water drainage strategy manager Brian C Smith, speaking on behalf of Water UK, also highlighted the change in the public mood. "I think we as an industry acknowledge that climate change is one of our biggest threats, and through our work I believe we are now at the forefront of our efforts to adapt to these changes. 'Zeitgeist' is a very encouraging description for this moment and the coming together of many exciting changes that are happening," he said, refer- encing the 'Greta Thunberg effect'. "I think we will now see an acceleration and coming together of many of those changes." However, he stressed that there are many obstacles to SuDS implementation in England and said it was "incumbent on all of of us, professionally and morally, to work together to overcome some of those barriers and make it happen". While Wales has been able to make age systems, including pumping stations and rising mains, intended for adoption un- der an agreement made in accordance with Section 104 of the Water Industry Act 1991. Design and Construction Guidance could be implemented as early as Septem- ber, although Water UK has indicated that April 2020 may be more suitable to allow companies more time to work with local authorities and developers as well as on internal training. "We're not so naive as to think this will be straightforward," Smith said. "This is a big, big change for the water industry. Companies are now starting to assess what it might mean for them and starting to de- velop an approach. We will work to ensure it is implemented in as smooth a way as possible. "We are entering a brave new world. I think there are still many people within water companies who don't appreciate what's going to land on their desks when this happens." The WWT Sustainable Drainage Systems Conference was held in Birmingham on 1 May and sponsored by SDS WWT's first SuDS conference heard how sustainable drainage could play its part in the response to climate change Robin Hackett reports from Birmingham SPONSORED BY significant strides on SuDS, the situation is more complicated in England. A poll of attendees at the conference suggested concerns over maintenance were the biggest barrier to a wider roll-out of SuDS in Eng- land, followed by a lack of co-ordination among stakeholders. "The upshot is it's really about passion- ate individuals delivering in spite of the current system, not everybody delivering because of the system," CIWEM director of policy Alastair Chisholm said. "The non-statutory technical standards are totally out of step with the agenda we're trying to get and to my mind need to be very urgently updated. Adoption is still very messy and without some kind of resolution is always going to be a barrier to deliver- ing to the full potential. Local authorities' resourcing and capacity is an ongoing issue and that is unlikely to change in a hurry." Smith discussed the upcoming Design and Construction Guidance from Water UK, which will replace Sewers for Adoption. The new, mandatory guidance applies to developers when planning, designing and constructing foul and surface water drain- 10 | JUNE 2019 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk THE SPEAKERS "It's an impatient business. People want delivery today, results tomorrow. They have to realise some of it is going to be slow burn, but it is the right thing to do." Andrew Hagger, head of WWI strategy & planning, Thames Water "One of my bugbears is that rainfall is seen as a problem, not as a resource. Our work involves trying to promote the benefits as a resource." Martyn Evans, senior policy advisor team leader, Natural Resources Wales Brian C Smith, Alastair Chisholm and Sue Illman take questions at the conference