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Flood Action Week - It's Time to be Proactive

January 23, 2020

As it’s #FloodActionWeek we thought it was about time we gave you our thoughts!

If you have read James’ new year missive at the start of the year you will know this is a topic that is often on our mind and a key driver behind the work that we do. Climate scientists are now saying, the weather is getting more variable with the swings getting more extreme. While we acknowledge there is a lot of work that needs to be done on climate change, Envireau Water’s focus is on preparing for all variable weather from flooding to droughts, as this affects everyone.


The impact of flooding is not just felt while it’s in the headlines, the effects are often long lasting and difficult to recover from. Economically it can take years for individuals to rebuild their lives either from repairing damaged homes or farmers recovering from lost crops and damaged soils. There is also a mental health impact, as noted by many during Flood Action Week, as a result of becoming homeless; financial worries and lives being turned upside down.


So, what can be done?

With approximately 2.4 million properties at risk from river (fluvial) flooding in the UK, it is time that everyone (individuals and companies) in flood risk areas, think seriously about what would happen if their house flooded:


  • Do you have an escape plan?
  • Do you have adequate supplies if you are trapped inside a building?
  • Do you have insurance to cover economic losses due to flooding?


We can’t fight mother nature; a short history lesson will teach you that rivers always win in the end. It is therefore, more important than ever that we adopt a proactive approach rather than reactive. That means we need to prepare ourselves by increasing our resilience and resistance to flooding and capture the positives, yes believe it or not flooding creates opportunities!


Where do we start?

From small to large scales we have to look at how we are designing and maintaining our homes. Only this week a BBC news report highlighted the fact that new housing is dominated by roads with new homes typically having smaller green spaces than development in previous years. We must consider runoff and employ SuDS techniques to better effect, to reduce the impact of new developments and prevent increasing flood risk elsewhere.


What positives are there?

An opportunity that arises from flooding is through the storage of flood water. Currently in the UK the majority of flood water drains out to sea, if we could capture this, store this water and remove it from the system, it would not only reduce flood peaks but also provide a water resource which is currently lost to the sea. This requires a catchment based management approach which is difficult and expensive to administer in today’s structure.


How we can help?

We can help you take a proactive approach; our surface water team have extensive experience in flood risk assessment & mapping, flood resilience design; as well as SUDs and storage optimisation. Get in touch with us to discuss what mitigation measures you could benefit from on 01332 871 882 or james@envireauwater.co.uk.


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By Rachael Plant • April 8, 2025
Since December 2024, the Environment Agency (EA) have released a series of flood and coastal erosion risk assessment updates, offering a clearer, more comprehensive picture of both current and future flood risk across England. What makes these updates so important? With approximately 6.3 million properties in England at risk of flooding and 3,500 properties at risk of coastal erosion by 2055, these updates are absolutely critical in order for you to protect and enhance your developments against the threat of climate change and extreme weather events. Whether a commercial or residential development, Envireau Water specialise in flood risk management and sustainable drainage solutions across the UK. By leveraging our technical expertise and deep knowledge of the UK regulatory system, we are known for achieving a positive outcome for even the most complex of challenges. Keep reading to find out what these updates mean for you.

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Climate change is an urgent issue we cannot ignore, and requires the collective action of communities across the globe if the worst effects are to be mitigated. From rising sea levels, extreme weather events to a loss of biodiversity, the potential impacts are widespread. However, this world water day, the focus is rightly on glacial preservation - our planet's largest natural freshwater reservoir. Why is it important? At Envireau Water, we recognise the widespread impact that glacial meltwater has across the whole planet, leading to the escalation of more extreme weather events as a result. Not only does this impact the environment with the disruption of ecosystems and water cycles, but also has a profound impact on society and industries reliant on a stable water supply. As a team of water scientists, we have witnessed first-hand the undeniable impact that flooding and drought events have had on the mineral, agricultural, industrial and development sectors, from failing crops and flooded farmland to a halt in distilling operations and delayed development projects, the ripple effects of these events are felt across communities and businesses alike.

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