Green-Fingered Students help with Stormwater Management

Green-Fingered Students help with Stormwater Management

At the end of 2024, in collaboration with Yorkshire Water, we visited Outwood Academy City Fields School in Wakefield to work with students on an environmental project to help manage rainwater.

The children at Outwood Academy were given the chance to help make Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) Planters that capture excess stormwater, which helps to reduce flooding and water entering the sewage network. Involving the school in the planting process allowed us to educate and inspire the next generation to play an active role in helping to manage the environment in their local community.

As part of the AMP8 Storm Overflow Alliance with Yorkshire Water, AtkinsRéalis, Stantec and Ward & Burke, we will be getting more involved in projects like this where we can generate more ‘Blue-Green’ infrastructure.

Blue-Green environments require ‘blue’ water elements like rivers, canals and ponds, mixed with ‘green’ natural infrastructures such as parks, gardens, woodlands and fields.

With the help of the green-fingered students and our delivery partners Rescue2, we have been able to place a variety of aquatic plants and soil into the planters. The planters were then dotted around the school where the most roof rainwater could be caught. These SuDS are designed to direct water through the plant systems, helping reduce the risk of flooding because it slows down and holds excess stormwater. It also acts as a barrier to reduce the flow of water going into the ground alleviating pressure on Combined Sewer Overflows.

Tom Glazzard, MWS Pre-Construction Manager, said: “This is a great initiative we are implementing across several schools. I had the pleasure of visiting Outwood Academy to see the SuDS Planters looking excellent in action, I’m looking forward to seeing how these thrive in the coming months.”

This hands-on environmental initiative gave the students an opportunity to learn more about rainfall and its’ effect on the drainage system at their school. Since the installation, Outwood Academy have been enjoying the positive ecological impact the SuDS Planters are having on their environment and local wildlife.

We would like to thank Outwood Academy for letting us speak to the next generation of environmentalists and allowing us to show them the work we do in their local area looking after their water systems.

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