Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems : Best Practice Manual for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

There are many challenges that face us as we enter the new millennium, not least the demand for new, sustainable housing and industrial development.

One of the difficulties that needs to be resolved for any new development is the drainage of surface water without causing flooding or pollution, and without sterilising valuable development land.

Conventional surface water drainage techniques can cause flooding, pollution and disruption of the water cycle.

A different approach is therefore needed to reach a more sustainable solution.

This publication provides guidance on employing sustainable methods of water drainage and putting sustainable development into practice.

Companion volumes (C521 and C522) discuss technical and planning issues surrounding SUDS in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and England and Wales respectively, while C523 covers the wider aspects of SUDS best practice, addressing the legislative issues surrounding SUDS and how organisations may work together in employing SUDS.

It examines issues raised by those who may be sceptical about SUDS, and illustrates how SUDS can help make developments more sustainable. The manual is intended for a wide readership including members of the general public, community leaders, planners, developers, designers and many others.