Portsmouth and Havant schools install ‘water slowing’ solutions to help protect Southern Water sewer network

In all, more than 40 schools from Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, and East and West Sussex have installed special ‘water slowing’ solutions on their grounds.

By slowing the flow of surface water from hard surfaces like classroom roofs and playgrounds, sewers are less likely to see huge jumps in volume in short timeframes – which can trigger the use of storm overflow releases.

As a result, they help protect homes, businesses, schools and communities from flooding.

Thanks to a £1.7m project jointly funded by Southern Water and the Department for Education, the schools have had sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) installed.

Pupils have welcomed the arrival of raingarden planters and water butts over recent months, providing an alternative to water being directly channelled into drains and then the sewer network.

The project has also provided an opportunity for Southern Water to engage with school pupils and staff on other issues, including flooding protection and water use.

The six schools in Hampshire to benefit are: St Alban's C of E Aided Primary School (Havant); Court Lane Infant School (Portsmouth); Court Lane Junior Academy (Portsmouth); Solent Junior School (Portsmouth), Springfield School (Portsmouth) and Beechwood Primary School (Southampton).

Nicole McNab, Southern Water’s Project Lead, said: ‘This is a fantastic project that showcases how crucial partnership working is.

‘All the schools involved are helping to slow the flow of rainwater entering our network, and we have seen real enthusiasm from all taking part.

‘It has given us a great opportunity to explain the work we’re doing to reduce flooding and storm overflows to a younger audience and answer any questions teachers may have.

‘We’re working together to reduce storm overflows and protect our rivers and seas.’

There are six innovative pathfinder projects introducing sustainable solutions in areas to slow the flow of rainwater entering the combined sewer system.

The pathfinder areas are Sandown on the Isle of Wight, Swalecliffe, Deal, Margate (all Kent), Fairlight in East Sussex and Pan Parishes near Andover.

Southern Water serves 2.6 million customers with drinking water and 4.6 million with wastewater services. On an average day, they supply 556 million litres of water and treat 13371 million litres of wastewater.

Two months ago, The News reported that Southern Water had fitted 98.5 per cent of its storm overflows with monitoring devices in line with government instructions for water companies to monitor 100 per cent of the emergency release valves by the end of this year.

The total number of monitored Southern Water spill events in 2022 was 16,688, compared to 19,077 in 2021 - a decrease of 14.3 per cent. Nationally, there was a 19 per cent decrease in sewage spills.