Why it is critical to manage our own wastewater in our homes, businesses, schools and communities

We recently met with Lorna Davis, Director of SuDSPlanter®, one of our brilliant Rainmaker Partners, and an incredibly knowledgeable person when it comes to water in the UK and UK water supply. We asked her about the current water crisis here in the UK, what are the risks we face with water availability and why there are so many reports of sewage being released into our rivers and into seas.

Q: With all the recent news on rising water bills, pollution, and droughts, why is water such a big issue in the UK right now? 
A: While the UK might seem water-rich, access to water varies hugely depending on region. Some areas experience floods, while others face drought. It’s not just about how much water we have—quality matters too. Surface runoff from roads, contaminated by human activities, combined sewer overflows (CSOs), and pollution all impact the availability of clean water and how it is affecting the environment which relies on it to survive.

Q: What role do SuDSPlanters® play in managing these issues? 
A: SuDSPlanters® (Sustainable Drainage System Planters) help by managing rainwater from rooftops. They slow the flow of water into the sewer system, reducing pressure on CSOs. The water is filtered through soil media in the planter, improving its quality before being reused or discharged. This process reduces pollution and helps prevent sewer flooding. 

Q: How does household water use affect the bigger picture? 
A: Every drop of water we use eventually returns to the sewer system. Whether that’s from showers, baths, washing our dishes, using the washing machine etc. This also has an impact on the availability of water during drought periods for others to access, such as critical infrastructure like hospitals and schools. Overuse can increase the risk of CSO spills and reduce the amount of water available during droughts. Since our clean water supply depends on natural sources like aquifers, rivers, and lakes, conserving water helps protect ecosystems and ensures enough for agriculture and other essential uses. 

Q: How do systems such as SuDSPlanters® help during extreme weather events, like summer storms? 
A: During dry spells, sudden heavy rainfall on hard, impermeable surfaces can overwhelm sewers and cause flooding or pollution. SuDSPlanters® capture and slow that water down, reducing the volume that hits the sewers all at once. Disconnecting downpipes into SuDSPlanters® or water butts is a simple but effective way to create extra sewer capacity and reduce flood risk. 

Q: At Frank Water, we’re conscious that the average British person does not know how much water they use on a daily basis, but research shows that the average family of four in the UK use between 450-500 litres of water per day, and once you tally that up with the number of people on your street, and in your local town, it’s a huge volume of water being used and sent back down the drain every day. What can people do at home to help? 
A: Start by being mindful of your water use—reduce, reuse, and recycle water where you can. Installing a SuDSPlanters® gives you instant, resilient greening along with flood protection when storm events occur. You could also install a water butt, and limit unnecessary water use. Small changes in your household habits can have a big impact on the environment and the resilience of our water systems. 

Q. Where can communities help? 

A: In towns and cities, large roof areas surface runoff, such as community centres and schools. Looking to capture your roof runoff and store water within features such as an SuDSPlanter® unit increases biodiversity in the area, reduces runoff volumes and provides a health and wellbeing tonic to all those who utilise the building. The SuDSPlanter® also creates a brilliant educational tool, illustrating the value of capturing and storing water in the environment and all the benefits it delivers. You could also reduce water use within the buildings by mending leaky taps and toilet cisterns, installing water saving taps and where possible greening up grey spaces by using other SuDS features such as permeable paving to allow water to infiltrate into the ground, so directing it away from the surface water drains and sewers.  

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