Consultation Responses

Sir Michael Pitts' interim report into the summer floods highlighted the risks from surface water flooding and made 15 recommendations for change, which has implications for the Environment Agency, water companies as well as local authorities.

The Government's new Water Strategy, Future Water, sets out a vision for more effective drainage of surface water, in order to deal with the dual pressures of climate change and housing development.

In line with Sir Michael Pitt's recommendations and those of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, the new strategy puts forward policy measures to improve the way that surface water runoff is managed. In particular, it proposes:

1. Using Surface Water Management Plans as a tool to improve co-ordination between stakeholders involved in drainage and local management of flood risk
2. Promoting sustainable drainage systems by clarifying responsibilities for ownership and adoption; and
3. Reviewing the ability for premises to connect surface water drainage automatically into the public sewer system (Section 106 of Water Industry Act 1991).
4. The consultation supports the key principles of integrated water management, including reducing risk, improving water quality and adapting to climate change.
5. Part 2 of the consultation focuses on the role that Surface Water Management Plans might play in enabling a co-ordinated and strategic approach to managing surface water drainage. Part 3 then considers how arrangements for the adoption and ownership of sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) could be improved to encourage their use. Finally, Part 4 examines how Section 106 of the Water Industry Act (1991) could be revised to change the provision for premises to connect surface water drainage into the public sewer system as default.

In consultation with local authorities, the Association has responded to the consultation.

View Future Water: The Government's Water Strategy for England a response by the Association of North East Councils