Sustainable Drainage Systems
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) are the modern way to dispose of surface water. They mimic the natural drainage of the land and/or store and restrict surface water run-off. This ultimately protects the environment from pollution.
We're fully in favour of implementing SUDS. The government is preparing national guidelines for the implementation of SUDS together with a model framework for their maintenance.
Planning Policy Statement 25 and Requirement H3 of the building regulations encourage the use of SUDS. Our role in the disposal of surface water is defined by the Water Industry Act 1991.
SUDS prevent relatively clean surface water from passing unnecessarily through the waste water treatment process. The use of certain types of SUDS for highway drainage has the advantage of 'inbuilt' pollution control, for example the vegetation in grass swales can be effective at filtering oil and grit out of the surface water run off from the highway.
A sewer is a conduit that is provided for domestic sewerage purposes, serving more than one curtilage and has a 'proper outfall' (e.g. a watercourse is a proper outfall but a soakaway is not).
We're responsible for Yorkshire's public sewers. Legislation defines what can form part of the public sewer and many types of SUDS, such as soakaways and ponds can't be adopted as part of the public sewer network. Where there's a need to restrict the rate and volume of surface water draining into the sewer network, use of an underground on-line storage tank is the favoured method. Consequently, where SUDS are proposed for areas such as a detention pond, special arrangements need to be made.
For further Information on adoption of SUDS please contact our Developer Services Team on
0845 1 20 84 82.
