Surface Water Run-Off

Sur 1 - Management of surface water run-off

from developments

To design surface water drainage for housing developments which

avoid, reduce and delay the discharge of rainfall to watercourses
and public sewers using SuDS techniques. This will protect
receiving waters from pollution and minimise the risk of flooding
and other environmental damage in watercourses

Assessor approach
Not expected to know
detail of this
Engineer AQP who does
this, knows SuDS
Collating evidence
Assessor needs basic
understanding of
principles only

Sur 1 - Principles

This is our concern

RAIN

Surface water run off

Stream or sewer
Infiltration

Green field site /

pervious ground

Sur 1 - Principles
RAIN

Green field site /

pervious ground

Surface water run off now

greater as rain hitting house
cannot infiltrate

No infiltration
Stream or sewer
Infiltration

Sur 1 Possible Solutions Sustainable drainage systems

(SuDs)

Run off is reduced to

pre development level

Soakaway
Permeable
Paving
Stream or sewer

Water goes here

instead of running off

Sur 1 Possible Solutions Rainwater used in the

dwelling

Run off is reduced to

pre development level

Stream or sewer
Water goes here
instead of running off

SuDS Management Train

(to encourage a holistic thought process)
Source control (where the rain falls)

Soakaways
Porous/permeable paving
Roof water directed to garden
Rainwater harvesting
Green roofs
Small swales and ponds
Underground attenuation storage

Site control (where the rain runs to)

Swales
Infiltration/detention basins
Larger soakaways

Regional control
Balancing ponds and wetlands

Criteria Overview
Use SuDS management train:
1 Peak rate of run off
No greater than pre developed site

2A Volume of run off

Additional volume entirely reduced
Infiltration or other SuDS techniques non holding back solutions
Must do this first, only move to 2B if 2A cannot be satisfied

2B Volume of run off

Reduce run off rate to limiting discharge
Must do 2A first where possible
Underground attenuation tanks possible solution here (not in 2A)

Not acceptable in meeting 2A

Source control (where the rain falls)

Soakaways
Porous/permeable paving
Roof water directed to garden
Rainwater harvesting
Green roofs
Small swales and ponds
Underground attenuation storage

Site control (where the rain runs to)

Swales (in some cases)
Infiltration/detention basins
Larger soakaways

Regional control
Balancing ponds and wetlands

Anything that
holds water
back will not
comply with 2A
eg
Holding ponds
Oversized
pipes with
hydrobreak

Details
Mandatory requirements
Appoint appropriately qualified person
Professional or team of professionals
Knowledge of
Sites SWRO needs/opportunities
SuDS based solutions (+ experience)
Champion SuDS
Provide robust hydraulic design calculations

Report, flood risk assessment and drawings

Covering all mandatory requirements
In accordance with Development and Flood Risk: a practice guide
companion to PPS25
Concessions for smaller sites (see guidance)

Sur 1 Mandatory criteria 1- Peak run off rate

Peak Rate Run-off no greater
Than pre development
For 1 year and 100 year return period
events

5 l/s discharge is allowed

Post development
At a discharge point
To avoid blockage

These rules do not apply

If no increase in impermeable area
or
If criteria 2A (next) cannot satisfied

Sur 1 Mandatory criteria 2 - Volume of run off

If run off volume post
development greater than pre
(m3)

(2A) Additional volume

must
be prevented from leaving site by
SuDS techniquiqes
Holding back soluitons do not comply
100 year 6 hour event

If no increase in impermeable,
criteria met by default

SuDs

Sur 1 Mandatory criteria 2 - Volume of run off

Unless A cannot be satisfied
Responsibility of AQP to decide this
Full justification must be provided

In which case:
(2B) the peak rate of run off must be reduced to:
1 year peak flow rate
Mean annual flood flow rate (Qbar)
2 l/s/ha (max)

whichever is higher
= limiting discharge

No single discharge point need be < 5 l/s

Sur 1 Mandatory criteria 3 - Volume of run off

3. Designing for local drainage system failure
Demonstrate that the flooding of the property would not
occur in the event of the above
Caused by
Extreme rainfall
Lack of maintenance

Fag packet maths

Poor site
drainage

Good site
drainage

Site size/increase in impermeable?

2 ha / yes

2 ha / yes

Pre dev peak run off rate 1 / 100 yr

20 / 40 l/s

4 / 8 l/s

Required post dev run off rate 1 / 100 yr

20 / 40 l/s

5 / 8 l/s

2A

Peak flow rate increase due to dev. (pre

SuDs) 1 / 100 yr

22 / 44 l/s

5 / 10 l/s

Additional volume to be dealt with by non holding

back method (for 100 year event of 6 hours)

4x60x60x6 =
86,400 litres

2x60x60x6 =
43,200 litres

Equivalent to cube tank side length of

4.42 m

3.51 m

1 yr peak pre dev. flow rate

20 l/s

4 l/s

Qbar

18 l/s

4 l/s

2 l / s / ha

4 l/s

4 l/s

Limiting discharge rate

20 l/s

5 l/s

Rate difference from 100 peak rate post dev.

24 l/s

5 l/s

Additional volume to be dealt with in any way

518,400

108,000

Equivalent to cube tank side length of

8.03 m

4.76 m

2B

Information required
A lot of detail
Confirmation of qualifications of consultant
Report
Permeable/impermeable areas pre and post development
If impermeable increased, report to include:
Permeability characteristics of site
Inc infiltration tests where appropriate
Peak run off rate calculations for 1 and 100 year events
Methods used to reduce run off
Volume of run off pre, post development and with proposed
mitigation
etc
FRA
Drawings

Special Cases

Min flow rate set by sewerage undertaker

Max flow rate set by sewerage undertaker
Derelict sites
Planning Consent pre dates Code requirement
Infrastructure in place before Code requirement enforced
Planning Authority require a non-compliant flow rate
Supplementary guidance for Wales will be published by
WAG
For further guidance visit www.breeam.org/cshguidance

Assessing tips?
Assessment methodology
Useful step by step approach

Calculation procedures
Key publications
Allowance for climate change (post development only)
Greenfield sites
calc method varies with size

Sur 1 Optional credits

2 Credits

Using SUDS to improve quality of rainwater discharged or

protect quality of receiving water
Ensure no discharge for rainfall up to 5mm (1 credit)
and/or

Run off from all hard surfaces receive treatment (1 credit)

In accordance with SuDS Manual
To minimise pollution

Sur 1 - Management of surface water run-off

from developments
Default Cases
Rainwater discharges directly into a tidal estuary or the sea

Credits withheld if development goes against Environment

Agency recommendations

Examples

Remineder of main requirements

There are two key aspects to consider when
assessing surface water run-off in the Code:
Peak rate of runoff
Ensuring the peak rate of runoff is no greater
post development than it was pre development
Volume of runoff
Ensure that the post development volume of
runoff is no greater than it was pre
development

Possible solutions to deal with volume where

infiltration techniques are possible on site
Green roof
Run-off is reduced to
pre-development level

Soakaway
Permeable
Paving
Watercourse or sewer

Water infiltrates
rather than
running off

Possible solutions where additional volumes of

runoff are low, but infiltration rates are also
very low (such as sites with clay soils),
therefore only partial infiltration is possible

Volume of run-off reduced

with some residual run-off
remaining
Swales
Holding Pond
Watercourse or sewer

Some of the run-off

infiltrates rather than
running off

Example
Site has the following characteristics
Low permeability on the site pre development (therefore small
additional volume of runoff caused by the new development)
Additional Volume of Run-off: 6m3
Fairly large open space
Surface SuDS were the cheapest option and were able to deal with all
the additional volumes of runoff
Post development volume of runoff was no greater than pre development
Swale

Wetland

Possible solutions where infiltration is not at all

feasible on the site

Runoff is reduced to
pre-development level

Watercourse or sewer

Water collected in the Rainwater

Harvesting System rather than running

Possible solutions can be a combination of both

infiltration and Rainwater Harvesting where there is a
large volume to attenuate
Runoff is reduced to
pre-development level

Permeable
Paving
Watercourse or
sewer

Water collected in the

harvesting system rather
than running off

Example

Greenfield site pre development

Additional Volume of Run-off: 25m3
Holding Pond/Swales were not an option due to size of site
RWH tank installed below the small communal garden
Permeable paving installed on the front drives
Additional Volume entirely
reduced.
RWH tank sized to also
deal with holding back
the run off for the 100 year
event before then being
discharged at the Limiting
Discharge rate

Communal Rainwater Harvesting Tank

Communal garden

Permeable Paving