SUDSNet Meeting 30 th November 2005 SEPA and SUDS Research Activities Neil McLean Brian D’Arcy

 Questionnaire Performed “to help obtain a consensus of what the main issues members consider should be addressed in the field of SUDS over the next year”  3 Clear areas for consideration with more than half total score  Other areas not forgotten, but decision to take forward  Construction (22%)  Road Runoff (19%)  Source Control (11%) SEPA and SUDSWP ( Sustainable Urban Drainage Scottish Working Party) Construction Inspection & Guidance Road Runoff Source Control Issues Considered Most Important by SUDSWP

SEPA Well Represented on SUDSWP (Chair and Sect plus 3)  SEPA’s interests agree with outcomes of SUDSWP Q’s  Several areas to concentrate on; Automobiles as a source of Pollution 2.Fate of Pollutants in soft engineered/infiltrating systems 3.Review of Screening Tool 4.Assessing SUDS after agreement of Proposal 5.Green Roofs 6.Roads/Highways and SUDS use 7.Pond/Wetland Size

1.Automobiles as a Source of Pollution  Greenpeace quote, “If car manufacturers were focused on efficiency, we could already have cars that do 100 mpg.” Mark Strutt, Greenpeace  But more than just fuel use;  Brake linings – Cu  Tyre compounds – PAHs outlawed in Sweden  Diesel - particulates including PAHs  Lubricants and fluids – PAHs, metals, HCs  International initiative to address this;  Papers sought for IWA conference Istanbul, September 2006

2. Fate of Pollutants in Infiltrating Systems  To what extent do pollutants migrate into sub-base of facilities  Is this a problem? - Groundwater risks  Pollutants;  Oil  PAHs  Toxic metals  Pesticides  Nutrients  Experimental approach;  Lysimeters  Swales, Filter Strips & Basins ?

3. Guidance for SEPA Staff  What amounts of urbanisation to become risk to environment?  More nutrients evident in urban catchments than agricultural areas  Whole-river catchment pressures  How do different SUD systems meet environmental needs?  Review GIS based “Screening Tool” for predicting pollutant losses for anywhere in Scotland (Project spec to be drafted)  Requirement for methodology to enable users to assess design proposals  Industrial estate case study - good environmental practice – MUCL Project  Willingness to consider SUDS retrofits  Pollution prevention awareness  Waste minimisation

4. Inspection of SUDS – Post approval assessment  Study performed by SEPA staff to look at 10 sites after approval by SEPA – during post construction;  4 as agreed  2 with maintenance schedule  1 maintenance carried out  2 owner not determined  Further SEPA inspections hoped for  Other/joint agency inspections  Building control  Scottish Water  Planning authority  SEPA  Imperative to oversee construction and implementation

5. Green Roofs  Raise awareness of green roofs  Flood Mitigation for small/intense storms  Pollution scavenging prospects  Biodiversity possibilities  Hope that SEPA can have its own green roof  More knowledge required;  What storms can be captured?  Antecedent condition  Pollutant removal/containment  Biodiversity conservation

6. Roads/Highways Initiative – encourage LA confidence in SUDS  General “entrenched” position of LAs roads depts to consider adopting SUDS  Scot Exec “ have been using filter trenches for decades”  Need to provide more confidence for officers to approve SUDS;  Pervious/Porous paving  Roadside swales  Basins/ponds/etc  Top-down approach –  Changes in guidance required –  DMRB  Local interpretation  Adoption  Bottom-up approach –  Changes in Understanding  Demo sites  Local evidence  adoption

7. Ponds/Wetlands Size & the use of V t  Original thought that residential catchment is lower risk and need basins – not ponds/wetlands  Larger ponds for longer residence time to allow nutrient uptake  Also need for v. high risk sites, e.g. industrial estates  Paper presented to IWA  More discussion this afternoon

Conferences  Roads/Highways conference  June 2006?  SUDSNet Conference  Source control? 2006  IWA Diffuse Pollution Conference  Istanbul, September 2006 Happy Christmas