With water security a pressing concern and the need to implement sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) soon to be a legal requirement in England, ACO has launched a new industry guide at Futurebuild.
The guide, titled ‘Implementing SuDS: Practical advice, key information and preparing developments for Schedule 3’ is a free-to-download resource that will help developers and planners better understand how the incoming changes regarding Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 impact their schemes. Under the legislation, incorporating SuDS will be a mandatory requirement for most new schemes in England, with implementation of the schedule expected to come into force later this year.
Within the guide, it answers questions developers and those who have a role in drainage planning have been asking about Schedule 3 since the announcement that it was coming into force was made by the Government last year. Written in line with ACO’s ongoing goal of making sustainable drainage more achievable, the guide discusses:
- What Schedule 3 and the changes mean for new developments in England
- How to implement SuDS, based on the CIRIA SuDS Manual (C753), and sequence sustainable drainage products
- Applications of SuDS in a variety of developments
- Different SuDS techniques that can be applied, including nature-based solutions and ‘hard’ engineered systems that can help meet biodiversity net gain (BNG)
Alongside its new guide, ACO is encouraging all delegates attending Futurebuild this year to have water security at the top of their agenda. The ACO team will be on stand C50 to explain more about Schedule 3 and BNG with visitors and how caring for water is intrinsic to both regulations. Meanwhile visitors can engage with ACO’s technical team about its drainage and water management design services, see a range of its sustainable drainage products and solutions, and learn more about ACO’s sustainability mission, which is under its global strapline of ‘we care for water’.
Sam Hawkins, Head of Specification & Design at ACO Water Management, said: “The enforcement of Schedule 3 will require a considerable change to current construction and design practices, especially for developers that have yet to develop SuDS on site. We’re looking forward to having productive conversations about this at Futurebuild where we’ll be on hand to answer questions around SuDS.
“These upcoming changes may seem daunting — and it will require an entirely new way of thinking — but ACO is here to support businesses through the new design and application process. With Schedule 3 in place, the built environment will be much better prepared for future challenges, in turn creating improved communities and enhancing wellbeing for both people and wildlife.
“This year, we encourage all that are coming to Futurebuild to think about water security first, and we are here to help answer any questions and provide free design consultation to ensure water is managed, and cared for, correctly.”
To download your free copy of ACO’s SuDS Implementation Guide, click here.
