Southern Water and Medway Council sign landmark agreement to tackle flooding and storm overflows
Southern Water and Medway Council have entered into a formal partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at tackling the growing challenges of flooding and storm overflows in this area of Kent.
Working in partnership with Medway Council
It will focus on delivering green innovative, sustainable solutions — including the development of Highway Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) — to reduce pressure on existing drainage infrastructure and improve climate resilience.
The news comes as Flood Action Week took place last month (October 13 – 19) to raise awareness of floods and help the public prepare for them. SuDS are a natural solution, such as swales, tree pits and raingardens, that help tackle flooding and reduce storm overflows by removing excess surface water entering combined sewer systems.
As part of the MoU, Southern Water and Medway Council will work to create and explore new opportunities for Highway SuDS across the Medway Towns. Collaborative investigations have already started in Parkwood, with potential SuDS opportunities identified.
Director for Environment and Innovation at Southern Water, Dr Nick Mills, said:
"We’re delighted to be working closely with Medway Council on shared goals to improve the environment. By working together, we can deliver smarter, greener infrastructure that benefits both the community and the environment."
Cllr Simon Curry, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Strategic Regeneration, said: “This agreement marks a significant milestone in our commitment to tackling flood risk across Medway. Joining forces with Southern Water will allow us to work in partnership and continue to invest in long-term, sustainable solutions that will help protect our communities and infrastructure from the growing impacts of climate change.”
Naushabah Khan, MP for Gillingham and Rainham, said:
“It is a significant and positive step that Southern Water and Medway Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, demonstrating a strong public commitment to combating flooding for local residents in Gillingham and Rainham.
“We do have a need for wider installation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), as I have suggested Parkwood as a potential site. We have a duty to ensure that homes aren’t vulnerable to flooding pressures and that we have the correct preventative mechanisms in place to tackle this issue head-on.”
It is the second MoU that Southern Water has signed with local authorities in Kent, as it has also entered into one with Kent County Council.
This latest partnership complements Southern Water’s wider efforts to reduce storm overflows through its £1.5 billion Clean Rivers and Seas Plan, which aims to cut spills by 8,000 a year by 2035. More information about the plan is available at: southernwater.co.uk/clean-rivers-and-seas-plan. [southernwater.co.uk]
Work is already underway in several Kent towns to reduce storm overflows, including:
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Whitstable
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Herne Bay
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Sittingbourne
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Faversham
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Queenborough
These initiatives include nature-based solutions designed to slow the flow of rainwater and reduce pressure on combined sewers.