Yorkshire Water is set to invest £26.3 million over the next five years in the next phase of the Living with Water partnership's  Blue-Green Plan.

Living With Water has revealed the next phase of its plan to reduce flood risk in Hull and the East Riding, marking a continuation of investment in long-term, sustainable water management.

The next phase, which is a major step forward in the delivery of the partnership’s 25-year Blue-Green Plan, will relieve pressure on the city’s combined sewer network, using nature-based solutions to provide flood resilience.

The Blue-Green Plan is a 25-year strategy to manage surface water and sewer flooding, utilising blue (water) and green (vegetation) infrastructure to boost resilience within communities.

Partnership working between Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency, and the University of Hull, will be central to the programme.

As part of these plans, Yorkshire Water is investing £26.3m to support the delivery of the programme, which will increase surface water separation and flood resilience over the next five years.

Yorkshire Water is set to invest £26.3 million over the next five years in the next phase of the Blue-Green Plan to support the delivery of the programme.

The Plan will focus on Hull’s west and the East Riding, disconnecting roadside drainage from the combined sewer system and installing SuDS and rain gardens along 7km of roads. A new tidal pumping station will also be built to discharge flows to the Humber, reducing flood risk for homes and businesses.

The new projects will remove around 10 hectares of surface water from the sewer network, delivering a 1–2% improvement in flood resilience across the catchment. More importantly, they will create greener, more biodiverse spaces and build a strong foundation for future phases of flood management.

Living with Water was established after the 2007 floods and is a partnership between Yorkshire Water, Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the Environment Agency, and the University of Hull.

Together, the parthers are committed to building flood resilience across Hull and the East Riding and adopting nature-based solutions to improve flood management.

The Living with Water partnership has delivered a series of innovative, nature-based solutions to help Hull and East Yorkshire adapt to the growing challenges of flooding over the last five years.

From permeable paving on Rosmead Street to Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in Bilton and Orchard Park, and the creation of six large aqua greens in Derringham, the projects have helped to transform how flood water is managed across the city and region’s local communities.

The recently completed £8.4 million Derringham scheme is a prime example of what can be achieved through collaboration. Six new aqua greens now provide temporary storage for excess rainwater, reducing pressure on the sewer network . These spaces don’t just In addition to protecting homes, the spaces provide areas of biodiversity, llustrating how flood resilience can also create green community spaces.

This work is part of a wider £23 million investment delivered since 2020, laying the foundations for a long-term strategy to manage surface water and sewer flooding. Hull is the second highest flood risk area in the UK, and 95% of the city sits below the highest tide levels - the need for sustainable, adaptable solutions has never been greater.

Emma Brown, general manager of Living with Water, said:

"This investment is a vital part of our long-term strategy to build flood resilience across Hull and Haltemprice. By working with our partners and embracing sustainable, nature-based solutions, we’re creating spaces that communities can enjoy , that provide robust flood resilience to protect homes and businesses.”

Living with Water is working with sustainability specialists Stantec on the early stages of the project.