Rural sustainable drainage systems (RSuDS) - Nutrient neutrality private mitigations

Similar to Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), Rural SuDS (RSuDS) can be used primarily to improve or maintain water quality. They can be used to intercept run-off and trap soil before it leaves the field, this helps to slow down the transport of pollutants to watercourses and also has the added benefit of being able to reduce localised flooding.

Although they are not a new concept the use of RSuDS is not widespread.

• Biodiversity enhancement
• Carbon sequestration
• Flood mitigation

• Scale is constrained by available land

1. Phosphorus
2. Nitrogen
3. Sediments

• Potential to be a carbon sink if using vegetation based RSuDS

• Immediately upon installation
• Uses that require use of vegetation will need it to become established before becoming functional

• Maintenance to prevent blockages from excess fine sediment
• Maintenance of vegetation required for some systems

• Performance can be kept at optimum with well a well-established maintenance schedule

Can be challenging to provide certainty for permitting, robust modelling and monitoring must be evidenced. Considerations to be taken:

• Land availability.
• Mass loading and population equivalent to be evidenced
• Must take into account climate factors and climate change, such as droughts and dry weather, or water gains from rainfall, etc. as well seasonal dynamics and differences in flows through different seasons
• Must take into account seasonal efficiency tied to plant growth and appropriate plant species

Environment Agency. (n.d.). Rural sustainable drainage systems. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rural-sustainable-drainage-systems

Herefordshire Council. (n.d.). Sustainable Drainage Systems Handbook. 

Ricardo for Herefordshire Council. (2021). Interim Phosphate Delivery Plan Stage 2, Mitigation options for phosphate removal in the Wye Catchment.