Working together to improve drainage and environmental water quality An overview of Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans September 2019 Commissioned by Water UK in collaboration with Defra, Welsh Government, Ofwat, Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Consumer Council for Water, ADEPT and Blueprint for Water Commissioned by Water UK in collaboration with Defra, Welsh Government, Ofwat, Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Consumer Council for Water, ADEPT and Blueprint for Water Notice This document and its contents have been prepared for Water UK. All information contained in this document is made available without responsibility or liability of any nature (including in negligence) on the part of Atkins Limited, and is not to be relied upon as a statement or representation of facts. Atkins Limited does not make or give, nor has any person authority on its behalf to make or give, any representation or warranty whatever in relation to the contents of this document. Contents This document sets out how organisations with interests and/or responsibilities relating to drainage, flooding and protection of the environment can make improvements by working together to create Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs) Introduction How can DWMPs help you plan for the future? What is DWMP? What benefits will it bring? What area does a DWMP cover? 2 3 4 5 What are the key stages in creating Why, how and when can you engage? What’s the programme for completing What outcomes can be achieved by working a DWMP? a DWMP? together to create and implement a DWMP? 6 7 8 9 Working together case studies 10 11 12 Working together to improve drainage and environmental water quality | 1 Introduction Providing green / Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs) blue spaces are the new way to plan for the future of drainage, Looking after health and wellbeing in our wastewater and environmental water quality communities DWMPs provide the basis for more collaborative and integrated long-term Sustainable planning by organisations that have interests and/or responsibilities places relating to drainage, flooding and protection of the environment. Whilst the production of DWMPs will be led by water companies, all of these Working organisations have a part to play in their creation. together By planning together, organisations are more likely to work together to deliver improvements that benefit the communities we live and work in. Resilient places / This document outlines the benefits of working together to ensure our resilient infrastructure drainage and wastewater systems are sustainable, robust and resilient to future pressures such as climate change and population growth. It also provides an easily accessible summary of DWMPs. Unlocking growth Enhancing our environment 2 | Working together to improve drainage and environmental water quality How can DWMPs help you Strategies and plans that manage drainage and Outcomes that can be achieved plan for the future? environmental water quality risks by working together Do you make and prioritise environmental improvements in your local area? Multi-agency Su ic rfac teg Flood Plan M e W tra k an at S Ris ag er Resilient places / Looking after health and od t em lo en P en Are you updating your plans relating F ssm lan t resilient infrastructure wellbeing in our communities se to flooding and environmental As L k o s t c i n a protection and enhancement? R e S l t G d m r r o e a o lo g n te w F a a g t n l y h a P How do you ensure each part of the M drainage system has capacity to L Mitigating and adapting Providing environmental C o c a support development goals? r a to climate change net gain p e l i t t N a a n a l t a P w l u DWMPs l r e a P a t n l t s compliment n Do you work with other organisations a and integrate e W to achieve green / blue space m Working together to with existing t & e n objectives? e g d strategies e a o m g Thriving, sustainable Increasing our natural o n e improve drainage y l a and plans g a F g n a e capital i l communities t M n a a a c a r r and environmental t o M Are you working with other risk D L S k s i management authorities to address R water quality g A in s r k flood risk from multiple sources? n r e n a a o d (W S l w n p e a a ta l l t a m d ) e e n a n s s m o r a i f l le o e at y g Sustainable places Enhancing our environment n n ic n a ly t N l E W Are you undertaking place-based ) s o r p or o et (f f planning to improve the resilience R ss M iv A a er ay nt of your communities? na Ba N ighw e ge sin ational FCERM H gem me ana y nt P Strategies M teg lan tra (for England and S for Wales) Providing green / blue spaces Unlocking growth Working together to improve drainage and environmental water quality | 3 What is a DWMP? It’s a long-term strategic plan that will set out It takes a long-term view, setting out It's a process that will identify priorities It’s much more than just how wastewater systems, and the drainage a planning period appropriate to the and costs to achieve future aspirations, a water company plan networks that impact them, are to be extended, risks faced, but with a minimum and agree trade-offs where necessary It’s a improved and maintained to ensure they are period of 25 years robust and resilient to future pressures blueprint It’s an opportunity to plan together, to generate for our It’s a way to understand current and It’s an approach to ensure that efficiencies and maximise outcomes arising future strategic risks to drainage plans recognise interdependencies from co-creation and delivery of solutions that future and water quality in your area between drainage systems address the risks we face What benefits will it bring? Integration of local placemaking and Creation of a Smarter, better growth strategies ‘line of sight’ from investment choices, with wastewater Transparency and identification of risks maximising benefits infrastructure consistency - there to the investment from combined will be a common planning funding sources decisions taken to Collaboration, partnership working approach to the address them production of and co-creation of integrated DWMPs solutions (such as sustainable drainage and natural flood management) that provide multiple An evidence base for benefits to achieve best value to effective engagement communities, customers and the with communities, customers & environment over A holistic and stakeholders the long-term catchment-wide approach to achieve A shared view of individual and common the current and flood risk and future challenges environmental that need to be outcomes Adaptive plans addressed that can respond to a changing climate and population growth 4 | Working together to improve drainage and environmental water quality What area does a DWMP cover? A DWMP will be created for each of the wastewater areas served by Local investigations will inform the creation of action water companies in England and Wales. It will also consider the plans for each strategic planning area drainage networks that impact the wastewater systems. The DWMP will be compiled from action plans produced at a lower level, covering strategic planning areas that describe the local drivers for change and facilitate a more appropriate coverage area for collaboration / partnership working. Aligning strategic planning areas to the catchment areas that inform River Basin Management Plans and Flood Risk Management Plans will ensure environmental water quality impact and flood risk are appropriately considered in the process. In Wales, DWMPs are to influence and align with Area Statements (produced by Natural Resources Wales); these are a key mechanism to deliver environmental and social benefits across plans and sectors. There are many organisations with formal roles and responsibilities relating to drainage, flooding and protection of the environment and many more with interests. By participating in the creation of a DWMP, much more can be achieved compared to working on plans in isolation. Within each strategic planning area, the DWMP process will be overseen by co-creation planning groups, building on existing collaboration and partnership arrangements. Activities at the strategic planning area level will be informed by investigations covering the Strategic planning area individual villages, towns and cities within each area. The structure All catchments shown are supports working together at the most appropriate level to achieve included in the strategic objectives that are shared between participants. planning area, as they all impact on strategic environmental water quality and flood risks within the area drained by the river and its tributaries DWMPs will provide a picture of the actions we need to take, across England and Wales, to ensure our drainage & wastewater systems are sustainable, robust and resilient to future pressures such as population growth and climate change 1 The DWMP process is also expected to be of relevance to other parts of the UK 2 Co-creation planning groups are called strategic planning groups in the DWMP Framework (https://www.water.org.uk/policy-topics/managing-sewage-and-drainage/drainage-and-wastewater-management-plans/) Action plans for each strategic planning area will be combined to create a DWMP 3 The DWMP Framework refers to the whole company as a Level 1 planning area, strategic planning areas as Level 2, and (covering each of the wastewater areas served by water companies in England and Wales) individual catchments/sub-catchments as Level 3 tactical planning units Working together to