With rainfall increasing, Scottish Water is working hard to help reduce surface-level flooding – and you can play your part too
If you feel like we’ve experienced more wet weather and grey days in recent years, you’re as right as… well, rain. As a result of the climate crisis, Scotland sees 13% more rain today than 100 years ago – and it’s a trend that’s set to continue, with future increases of up to 80% predicted*.
When these heavy bursts of rain go hand in hand with long periods of drought, it can create real problems when it comes to the amount of flooding we see - and how often we see it. Surface-level flooding can occur when sewers overflow due to excessive rainfall.
As the drainage systems we have in place were not designed to accommodate such frequent, high-intensity rainfall events, it can lead to a host of issues, including property damage, road and railway disruptions, and health and safety risks. But did you know that we can all play our part to reduce this challenge?
From installing a water butt in your garden to keeping your drains maintained, here are some of the small steps you can take to help reduce surface-water flooding... Be surface savvy If you’re transforming a lawn into a driveway or patio, choose surfaces that will absorb excess water, instead of letting it run off into drains. Materials such as gravel, permeable monoblock paving, or permeable resin are ideal.
Or, for an even greener option, try grass-reinforcement grids, which keep your lawn intact. It also helps to leave some spots unpaved, or to add flower beds or sections of gravel, so excess water can still be easily absorbed into the ground.
Buy a water butt Collecting the rainwater that falls from your roof reduces the amount that’s going into the drainage system – with the added bonus that you can use the water in your garden when there’s a dry spell. Investing in a water butt not only helps reduce flooding, but also provides a great way to reuse any saved water for your plants.
Keep your eyes peeled If you notice a drain on a public pathway or road has become blocked, report it to your local council for clearing. Beware of blockages Do your bit to prevent clogged sewers by binning wipes and sanitary products rather than flushing them - even the ones labelled ‘flushable’.
Be sure never to pour fats, oils or grease down the sink; instead, allow the fat to cool and harden, then scrape it into the bin or your food waste recycling. Raise plants on the roof Adding plants to the roofs of outbuildings, such as bike sheds and garages, helps to absorb rainwater that might otherwise run off them and cause flooding.
Maintain your drains If your drains are clogged up, rainwater has nowhere to go – so make sure you keep yours maintained. Installing a drain guard can help prevent blockages caused by leaves and other debris, but if you’ve noticed pools of water appearing after heavy rain, it could be a sign that your drains need clearing. Infrastructure investment from Scottish Water Scottish Water and its partners are rising to the challenge too.
Fixing the problem by making the sewers bigger would cost more than £13 billion - and there would still be rainfall from storms that the drains couldn't contain. That's why Scottish Water is taking steps to help by investing in a number of infrastructure projects designed to tackle the problem at a grassroots level.
In Prestwick, South Ayrshire, more than 25 homes have been identified where residents can help their neighbours who are living downstream by reducing the rainwater runoff from their roofs. These homes have been offered the chance to have free planters and water butts installed in their outside spaces to collect some of the water that might otherwise cause damage down the line. Over in Craigleith, Edinburgh, more than 50 properties have been invited to join Scottish Water’s promising pilot scheme.
Meanwhile, in Dundee, the Water Resilient Dundee Partnership is bringing people together to tackle climate change and help manage the problems of excess rainfall in a sustainable way. New drainage strategies are being developed by Scottish Water, Dundee City Council, and SEPA in key areas across the city to restore waterways and create so-called ‘blue-green corridors’ across land and water, to help reduce flood risk and serve as a natural solution to the problem of surface-level flooding.
Projects already delivered include the city's Douglas Community Park, a drainage park that takes rainwater and meanders it down a series of connected basins when it rains heavily; the Craigie Street Pocket Park, equipped with permeable monoblock and rain gardens that are connected to the downpipes of the neighbouring tenement roofs; and the St Mary's Community Centre building, which has a newly completed rain garden. Learn more about how to protect your home and community at SoakUpTheRain.scot. *Statistics provided by Scottish Water.
Edinburgh Dundee Environment Prestwick
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