Stone, paving and aggregates In some parts of the country, hosepipe bans have already been put in place and the threat of droughts increases as we progress into summer. Here, Angus Crichton, Marketing Manager for ACO Home & Garden is inviting gardeners and landscapers to join the conversation on how rainwater can be managed to help tackle the impact of climate change.
Our homes’ relationship with water has to evolve. The UK has been used to comparatively cheap, on-demand water piped into our homes to drink, water the lawn and clean the car. The assumption many of us have is that, when rainwater runs off rooftops, stormwater drains will provide an adequate exit. The boom-and-bust rainfall patterns along with the sealing over of rain-absorbing ground to accommodate population growth has shredded these long-held beliefs. The results of this are that our news is often dominated by macro-level concern around water security, as sewage overflows into watercourses. According to the Environment Agency, in 2022, sewage entered our rivers 825 times a day on average. Sir James Bevan, head of the agency, has warned we are staring into “the jaws of death”. Based on current data, the UK will run out of drinking-
Rethinking rainwater quality water into our homes by 2050, as demand outstrips supply.
RETHINKING OUR APPROACH
When we think about our own homes, presumptions of readily available water tend to shape our habits and behaviours. Meanwhile, solutions, knowledge and objectives around rainwater runoff are fragmented across professions,
trades and the homeowner’s wish list. Garden water features are designed with little connection to rainwater runoff, and guttering and soakaway capacity is usually specified with the only goal being that rainwater is removed quickly. Rainwater management will likely not be taken into account by most homeowners creating their ideal outdoor space. Drainage to }
LANDSCAPING MATTERS | ISSUE 3 | 31