The SuDS Manual (C753) has been the core industry reference for the implementation of sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) since the original version was published in 2001. The SuDS Manual is a central reference in Scottish, Welsh and English regulations as well as in industry training and guidance.
Since 2001 the manual has been updated significantly in 2007 and 2015 to reflect updates in good practice. It has now been over nine years since the last update and SuDS. During this time SuDS have become more common across UK urban environments as the multiple benefits delivered are increasingly recognised.
The implementation of Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act (2010) in Wales in 2019 has also contributed to a significant uptake of SuDS and with it has provided new learnings and examples of good practice in the design, delivery, and maintenance of SuDS.
To ensure the SuDS Manual continues to be a practical and effective tool for delivering high-quality SuDS in the UK and beyond, CIRIA has secured funding from Ofwat’s Water Breakthrough Challenge 5 to develop a new digital Rainwater Management Platform in partnership with Wessex Water, HR Wallingford and Stantec.
This platform will provide practical tools and up-to-date guidance to support the delivery of high-quality blue-green infrastructure. It will also include a refreshed, fully digital version of the widely used SuDS Manual (C753).