Kent town benefits from SDS smart rainwater harvesting technology to help reduce storm overflows.
L to R: Dr. Neil Sewell, Director – New Technology Services, SDS; Natalie Elphicke, Co-chair of the Deal Water Action Taskforce (Deal-WAT), Dover and Deal MP; Councillor Trevor Bond, Dover District Council and Kent County Council; Elaine Dean, Deal resident; Councillor David Brazier, Kent County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport.
SDS has teamed up with Southern Water, working alongside Kent County Council and Dover District Council, to better manage surface water and help cut storm overflows in Deal, Kent.
Around 50 SDS domestic-scale water storage tanks, most equipped with SDS Intellistorm® technology and powered using only a small solar panel, have been installed in the past few weeks. The tanks automatically drain in advance of forecasted rainfall events, providing capacity to accommodate the new influx of water and thereby relieving pressure on the town’s sewer system.
The ‘Pathfinder’ initiative is part of a wider £2 billion investment in Southern Water’s pipes and sewage infrastructure to help reduce flooding incidents and will assist the Water Company to meet its target of significantly reducing storm overflows by 2030.
Head of Southern Water’s Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force, Dr. Nick Mills, said: “We’re really pleased to be working so closely with partners on this project in Deal, which will have a significant impact on our work to reduce storm overflows. We’re excited to be installing these smart water butts; if they are successful we will see how we can roll them out in other areas in the future.”
Councillor Trevor Bond, Dover District Council and Kent County Council, said: “People of Deal welcome this initiative by Southern Water as yet another step in addressing the flooding problem that has plagued us for the last 20 years. It is great to see residents are environmentally conscious and want to work with us to reduce flooding.”
Elaine Dean, who had a smart water tank installed in her garden, said: “I’m very happy with the water butt. It’s a very good idea by Southern Water and I hope it helps reduce flooding in the area. I’d definitely recommend saying yes, if offered a water butt … the team installed mine very quickly and it looks neat and tidy.”
