The Welsh Government wants all new developments to incorporate effective sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) - and views them as key to reducing flood risk.
The Welsh Minister for Environment, Hannah Blythyn, has highlighted how Wales is moving towards more sustainable methods of dealing with rainwater which reduce the risk of flooding and protect water quality.
The Welsh Government’s Water Strategy for Wales sets out an aspiration for sewerage and drainage infrastructure for both waste water and surface water to be well managed and maintained in an integrated way.
To help achieve this, the Welsh Government wants all new developments to incorporate effective sustainable drainage systems.
The Welsh Government has recently consulted on how its aim of seeing the SuDS approach used to deliver multiple benefits for society in all new developments should be implemented.
Between 2010 and 2015, the Welsh Government supported Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water in developing a series of SuDS projects, known collectively as ‘Rainscape’.
One of the largest of these is at Stebonheath Primary School, Llanelli, which uses a range of SuDS methods to divert or reduce the flow of rainwater to the sewerage network. Stebonheath Primary is the first school in Wales to have a surface water removal scheme retrofitted into its grounds.
Hannah Blythyn commented:
“Surface water flooding is a serious problem and a major cause of flooding. The Rainscape project …. is an innovative and sustainable approach to dealing with rainwater, which reduces the risk of flooding and water pollution, while also providing a wide range of community benefits.
“Sustainable drainage schemes help to reduce surface water flood risk, protect water quality and improve the local environment. We want to make them a requirement across Wales for all new developments and I am grateful to everybody that responded to our recent consultations."
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