Getting roads and shared spaces ready for the next deluge

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Recent floods have raised questions around whether current infrastructure can cope with the severity and regularity of weather events in a climate-changed environment.

The first question from viewers during a recent EA Thought Leaders Series webinar on the topic of surface drainage, was a telling one. So was the response.

“Are the current drainage systems in cities adequate, especially considering the impact of climate change and global warming?” the viewer asked.

“The short answer is no,” responded Alan Rotsey CPEng, Senior Civil Engineer at Arup, during the ACO sponsored webinar. “Cities develop from towns, and so when they were first built they were often designed for smaller rainfall events. Then, over time, standards can change. You also get further land development putting additional pressure on the original system. On top of that, you have to consider increasing rainfall intensities from climate change.”

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