Our aging water infrastructure is under serious strain, with climate change and consequential extreme rainfall events becoming increasingly common. Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) leaks, network spills and the resulting hefty fines mean water companies are under pressure and, with AMP8 (the eighth, and current, asset management period for the UK water industry) only ramping up, there’s never been a more important time to prepare our infrastructure and lay the foundations for real long-term resilience.
For decades the water sector has relied on ‘grey’ infrastructure (pipes, tanks and tunnels) but, while these systems have played an essential role in water management, providing rapid and scalable capacity to prevent overflows during heavy rainfall, these systems are no longer appropriate on their own.
In recent years we’ve started to see the welcome rise of green, nature-based solutions, including sustainable drainage systems (SuDS, such as swales, permeable paving, rain gardens and geocellular systems), which manage and re-use rainwater at source, resulting in self-sustaining green assets that often bring huge community benefits, as well as solving drainage challenges and providing intelligent water management.
At Polypipe Civils & Green Urbanisation, we’re helping to make space for more water through a twin approach, combining the grey and the green with low carbon, modular solutions. It starts with intercepting and storing foul water overflow from treatment works to remove the risk of spills into rivers. Our Ridgistorm-XL solution is manufactured in diameters ranging from 750mm to 3000mm. It is a robust, engineered large-diameter pipe system suitable for diverse applications including surface water and foul water drainage, combined sewers and flood alleviation schemes.
With a modular design engineered from durable, structured-wall HDPE, this system can be custom fabricated to almost any size, shape or configuration, enabling effective adaption to the complex site and project requirements characterising many AMP8 schemes.
The second element of the two-pronged approach is all about intercepting and managing stormwater at the surface, disconnecting from the wider CSO system, reducing the capacity required and therefore preventing spills from treatment works. This is where SuDS come in. Our Permavoid geocellular solution provides surface water treatment, passive irrigation, attenuation or infiltration. The source control system is an engineered, geocellular water management solution to meet the demands of current legislation.
As a sub-base replacement, Permavoid can be incorporated into a number of different SuDS and green urbanisation applications, including rain gardens that can be placed on verges or streets in residential areas to help absorb rainwater, and in tree pits – which are vital in assisting with the interception and total discharged volume reduction in SuDS. Permavoid also thrives in use beneath permeable paving (for example, in car parks) and when incorporated in blue/ green roof design.
The benefits of this holistic model comprise of the obvious – the approach still delivers the reliable, high-capacity and quick control that is expected of grey infrastructure, but that’s complimented with the enhanced biodiversity and climate resilience that green solutions bring. From lightweight modular tanks to green infrastructure that plays an important role in restoring ecosystems, our solutions are efficient, cost-effective and low in carbon, helping clients and water companies alike meet their net zero and sustainability targets.
As the AMP8 period progresses, compliance is simply just a starting point. With a dual approach like ours, water companies can truly lead on climate adaption, biodiversity and community impact. Together, we can transform these urgent challenges into real opportunities for innovation and leadership in sustainable water management.
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