Standards

Stormwater management

The following consists of guidance rather than product standards, however should be considered when specifying the product or method used in a SUDS scheme.

The requirement to provide sustainable drainage provision is covered by a number of regulators such as the Environment Agency, SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) and Local Authorities. Although not a statutory requirement, most of these agencies are publishing guidance and/or discussion documents and putting great emphasis on the need to deal with surface run off in a sustainable fashion.

The Building Regulations (England & Wales) Part H3 has been revised and extended to incorporate the concept of sustainable drainage. The Approved Document states that: "methods of drainage other than connection to a public surface water sewer are encouraged where they are technically feasible."

Similar guidance is given in Part M of The Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990, (as amended).

The Government planning policy guidance document, PPG25, supports the need for every new development in the UK to undergo a flood risk assessment before being submitted for planning permission. The policy states that "all new developments should collect, treat and ideally re-use storm water where it falls".

European legislation in the form of the Water Framework Directive will further influence surface water management as one of its objectives is to "provide an integrated approach to the protection, improvement and sustainable use of Europe’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and ground waters." This became Law in Scotland in 2003 as The Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act, and in England and Wales as The Water Environment Regulations in January 2004.

Useful publications

• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems design manual for England and Wales.
• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems design manual for Scotland
• The National SUDS working group (principally, The Environment Agency, The office of the Deputy Prime Minister, DEFRA and The Welsh Assembly) published The Interim Code of Practice for Sustainable Drainage Systems in July 2004. This document applies to England and Wales with the specific objectives to:
  • Encourage the implementation of SUDS in new and existing developments.
  • Provide basic guidance for practitioners on the implementation of SUDS in new developments
  • Made the adoption and allocation of maintenance of SUDS more straightforward.