South West Water welcomes collaborative vision for a water sensitive South West

04th December 2014

South West Water has welcomed the launch of the UK's first Water Sensitive partnership, which aims to reduce the impacts of climate change and population growth in towns and cities in the South West.

The partnership for a more sustainable response to urban and rural water management in the region includes South West Water, AECOM, the University of Exeter, the Environment Agency, Devon County Council, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council and Cornwall Council.

All the organisations have given a commitment to drive the vision for a water sensitive South West.

Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) is an approach that originated in Australia which focuses on giving a greater priority to water management considerations at the earliest stages of development and regeneration.

It recognises that all elements of the water cycle are linked and provides a smarter, cost-effective approach to resource efficiency and future resilience.

Delivering WSUD can help to reduce flooding through sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) that can include natural vegetation features such as wetlands, swales and rain gardens. It can also save water by securing new water supplies from the rain that falls on urban centres as well as create green, attractive public spaces that provide new wildlife habitats and a healthier urban environment.

South West Water's pioneering approach to managing raw water sources, Upstream Thinking, is now in its fifth year and has started to show demonstrable improvements to river catchments. The water company is also piloting a sustainable drainage scheme in Truro, and has plans for several sustainable drainage schemes in sewer flooding hot spots across the region in the next five years.

The vision document, which was put together by infrastructure services company AECOM following a workshop, outlines the three key actions agreed by the participants in order to transition to a water-sensitive future for the region. These include:
- The identification of WSUD champions within organisations and communities 
- The establishment of partnership working arrangements
- The agreement from participants to realise the benefits of water sensitive solutions and show commitment to their delivery.

Andrew Roantree, Head of Asset Management at South West Water, said: "With population growth, climate change and urban creep, there is an urgent need to find innovative ways of preventing flooding and pollution in the future. There are collaborative, low-cost and natural solutions that will reduce flood risk, enhance neighbourhoods, prolong the life of our sewers, and make much better use of the rain that falls on our towns and cities. South West Water is committed to taking this water sensitive approach and working with other agencies to develop these win-win solutions."

Tony Barrett, principal consultant at AECOM's water practice in the UK, commented: "This vision document serves as a turning point in the delivery of WSUD in the South West. There are undoubtedly challenges to the implementation of WSUD. Collaboration, ownership and education are the crucial keys to success.

"The support from South West Water, local government organisations, the Environment Agency and the University of Exeter is essential to the planning and management of an improved urban water cycle and our future resilience. We are delighted that the momentum has been maintained since the workshop with continuing meetings with our stakeholders. It is this type of joined-up thinking that is critical to turn the vision for a water sensitive South West into a reality."

Published: 4 December 2014

Read the full document here

Notes to Editors 
1. Upstream Thinking is a partnership approach to managing drinking water sources sustainably. South West Water is working with the Wildlife Trusts of Devon and Cornwall, the Westcountry Rivers Trust, Dartmoor and Exmoor National Park, the Environment Agency, Natural England and English Heritage to restore water rich landscapes and river basins. For more on Upstream Thinking go to upstreamthinking.org. 
2. For more on South West Water's Downstream Thinking approach to sustainable water management, go to southwestwater.co.uk/downstreamthinking 
3. AECOM was instrumental in the delivery of the WSUD approach in Australia. 
More information on AECOM and its services can be found at aecom.com.