What is Sustainable Rain Water Management?

In a nutshell, sustainable rainwater management is about managing rain and storm water in and around our properties and gardens in a way that works with nature, rather than against it.

The traditional method for dealing with this water is to direct it away from our homes and streets as quickly as possible, often through drains and pipes that lead straight to natural water courses or into drains combining it with grey and black waste water (known as dual sewers). While this keeps the areas immediately around our homes dry (which has long been seen as the only priority from a builder and developers - and homeowners - perspective) it can cause problems elsewhere.
Too much water, moving too quickly, concentrated to a specific place can leading to overloading, flooding, erosion and polluted run-off.

Sustainable rainwater management, on the other hand, focuses on slowing down, capturing, and storing rainwater so that it is available to be used later, when rain is scarce or, released back into the drainage system at a much reduced rate and volume.
Where the aim is to reduce the amount of water that ends up in storm or dual drains (the ones that carry sewage and rain water run off) we encourage it to soak back into the ground or, to flow through spaces in a way that helps support local ecosystems.

A key aspect of sustainable rainwater management is understanding how we can mimic the natural processes that would normally happen in the water cycle of a healthy landscape.

Plants, trees, and healthy soil naturally soak up and filter rainwater.

By creating gardens and outdoor spaces that can do the same for the water that falls on the impermeable surfaces created by our homes and paved areas, we help prevent excess water run off from overwhelming our local systems.

For example, by using water butts to collect rainwater from your roof, you can store the water for later use in your garden, saving on your water bill and reducing the need for mains water.
Rain gardens and rain planters are another way to capture rainwater and slowly release it into the ground, preventing flooding and providing a space for wildlife to thrive.

In addition, using permeable paving in your driveway or garden paths lets rainwater soak through the surface and back into the soil, instead of running off into your drains. This helps reduce the pressure on drainage systems and improves water quality by filtering out pollutants before they reach rivers or streams.

In simple terms, sustainable rainwater management is about making sure rainwater is used as a resource, rather than being wasted or being allowed to cause damage. Whether it's collecting water for your garden or designing your outdoor space to let water flow naturally, these small changes can have a big impact on reducing flooding, conserving water, and helping the environment.

By thinking about how we manage rainwater, we can all make our homes and communities more resilient to the challenges of a changing climate.