Sustainable Drainage

As an urban city, many areas of Southampton carry a risk of flooding from surface water. This arises from the large areas of impermeable surfaces which increase the rate of runoff, and a historic reliance on traditional underground drainage systems. Climate change will result in wetter winters, drier summers and increased storm intensity, leading to an increased risk of surface water flooding.  In addition, diffuse pollution from untreated urban run-off can undermine water quality.  The run-off from hard surfaces must receive treatment before being discharged from the site.  New development will incorporate sustainable drainage systems to address these issues.