Environment Protection

SDS surface water, rainwater and grey water treatment systems help to protect waterways, coastal waters and the natural environment from contamination by solid and soluble pollutants and toxins.

Surface Water Treatment

Treated runoff, from which any silts and pollutants hazardous to human, animal and plant health have been removed, can be released safely into the environment or drainage network; alternatively, the treated water can be retained for reuse as a non-potable water source.

SDS Environment Protection Solutions

SDS surface water treatment systems are designed to separate and filter out the solid deposits and soluble, often toxic, pollutants that are typically present in surface water runoff, irrespective of their source.

Engineered devices can support schemes where nature-based solutions such as vegetative SuDS are expected to remove pollutants, by providing a first stage of treatment. This not only extends by several times the lifespan of green treatment solutions but also greatly reduces their toxicity to wildlife ultimately minimising any pollutive impact on the food chain.

Unlike nature-based solutions, engineered treatment devices provide a relatively consistent level of performance, requiring emptying or filter replacement only when capacity reaches a pre-defined determinant.

Environment Protection

Hybrid SuDS feature a combination of engineered and natural devices.

In “hybrid” storm management systems SDS engineered surface water treatment and storage devices installed below-ground combine with, and enhance and extend the performance and lifespan of, vegetative SuDS materials above-ground.

Allied to SDS SYMBiotIC™ smart monitoring and control these combination systems protect natural solutions from the impacts of excessive or insufficient rainfall.

Did You Know?

Just 14% of England’s assessed rivers and lakes, 19% of estuaries and 45% of coastal waters have been found to be in good ecological condition.
Pollution caused by sewage treatment works, wastewater and storm overflows, affects 36% of water bodies.*
(*Source: Defra 2024)

Find out more about our environment protection solutions