City partnerships to protect and conserve the city’s water resources will be in the spotlight today, as the British Water Conference takes place in Brighton.
Brighton & Hove is home to The Aquifer Project (TAP), a partnership set up to protect the city’s chalk aquifer under the Downs, which supplies much of the city’s drinking water. The project is hosted by The Living Coast, a collaboration of more than 40 partners representing the only UNESCO-recognised urban biosphere in the UK.
TAP member and council flood risk engineer Nick Bean will give a presentation to the conference about the council’s work, highlighting projects such as the Wild Park Rainscape in Brighton.
Work has just started on the Wild Park rainscape, an example of a sustainable drainage system (SuDS). These are designed to manage water in a way that mimics natural processes; they filter pollution from road run-off and help to absorb and safely divert floodwater. They also enhance biodiversity and provide new nature spaces for communities.
Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and Public Realm, will open the conference on 26 November. He said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome the British Water Conference delegates to Brighton & Hove.
“As a coastal city, we’re especially alert to the importance of water, from our underground chalk aquifer to the risk of both tidal and surface-water flooding to homes and businesses and water shortages caused by climate change.
“As a council, we’re working across our services to reduce flood risk, protect nature and water quality, and install water-saving measures.
“We couldn’t do these projects without working with partners in the water industry, and we look forward to sharing expertise and working together in the future.”
Some other projects the council is involved with include:
Find out more about the British Water Conference 2024.