Green filters that clean our cities’ water

Too often, we pour fats, solvents, oils, paints and garden chemicals down the drain and close our eyes to the problems they cause. Where drains are badly connected and when there is heavy rain, this polluted run-off flows untreated into waterways.

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) are a simple and effective way of removing pollution from drains and roads, which can also provide valuable urban green spaces and reduce the risks of flooding. They include porous surfaces, constructed wetlands or ponds, and grass filter strips – and don’t need high levels of energy to work.