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Surface Water Management Programme

Surface Water Management Programme

We’re working in one of the most densely populated and built-up regions in the UK. This places a lot of pressure on drainage. Population growth, loss of permeable surfaces, and climate change are also pressuring drainage. Without action the risk of sewer flooding and pollution likelihood increases.


Historically we've focused on engineering solutions. However, we’re shifting towards using more nature based solutions. This includes the utilisation of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS). They work by replicating the drainage processes provided by the natural environment.

This approach can help to: 

  • Manage the quantity and/or rate of runoff of surface water. This will improve flooding resilience, as well as reducing the need for overflows

  • Improve the quality of surface water run-off which will reduce the risk of pollution

  • Increase the amenity of public spaces as well as wider community benefits

  • Help grow the local biodiversity and customers’ experience of their local environment

SuDS detention basins

AMP8 SuDS Delivery (2025 to 2030)

From March 2025 we will be starting a new five year programme to deliver SuDS across our region. If you're interested in collaborating with us, please email us .

Our AMP8 programme will build on the learning from AMP7 as well as our DWMP. We expect it to include the following components:

  • Call for Projects
  • SuDS for street works (reinstatement of other utility works with rain gardens)
  • Property level solutions (water butts and planters)

Further details will be shared once the funding and delivery plan have been finalised. 

AMP7 Programme (2020 to 2025)

In AMP7 we're proud to have trialled new ways of working in partnership. Our goal was to deliver long-term, sustainable solutions to tackle flooding and pollution.

We worked with more than 40 fantastic organisations across more than 70 projects. These projects have reduced rainwater in our sewers. This covered 20 hectares of catchment area - that is 200,000m2, or around 50 acres.

Strategic partnerships

We recognise that nature-based solutions work best when we collaborate with councils.

As part of our £5 million funding for nature-based solutions, we worked closely with:

  • Lambeth
  • Hounslow
  • Tri-Authority Partnership of Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse DC and Cherwell DC   

Third party projects

Our two Call for Projects ended in August 2021 and April 2022. We received lots of fantastic applications. 

As part of the project we allocated around £5 million. We funded over 40 surface water management projects.

Thank you to everyone who applied. All applicants have been provided with feedback. You can view our previous funding application guidance and projects we worked on.

Organisations benefitting from SuDs

Alongside our Call for Projects, we ran a series of online events in 2022. We heard from a variety of organisations benefitting from Thames Water funding. The funding has helped organisations implement a range of SuDS features.

We've listed examples of organisations benefitting from this: