Institutional management of surface water in England and Wales

Drainage has been managed in England and Wales for centuries, but only in the past 20 years has the focus moved away from land drainage and engineered flood defence, to a more holistic catchment management. This shift reflects more general concerns with urban flooding, environmental sustainability, and climate change trends. Flooding events mean that water is increasingly treated as a responsibility as well as an asset, and recent legislation attempts to build a hierarchy within the relevant institutions, to manage surface water and flood risk. This document examines historical influences in the light of recent statutory changes, and analyses current roles and responsibilities for surface water. A visual approach is used on a case study area, to track rainfall on its path to the sea. The interaction of differing liabilities and powers is illustrated and analysed according to ownership, responsibility and water type. The conclusions highlight a lack of holistic management, noting discrepancies between ownership and responsibility, between types of responsibility, and between flood risk and drainage. There are specific issues in urban areas, including frequent handovers between drainage bodies, weakening of planning control, and domination by the Environment Agency. Key recommendations include effective catchment management by tightening planning regulations, and enhancing stakeholder participation, state involvement and strong environmental leadership. Finally, fragmented water legislation needs integrating in order to promote proactive management of this vital commodity, accepting it as both an asset and liability.