Water-Resilient Places—Developing a Policy Framework for Surface Water Management and Blue-Green Infrastructure

Abstract

This chapter broadly describes Scotland’s overarching approach to the management of its water resources with a specific focus on the development of measures that respond to the multiple and complex challenges of surface water flooding in Scotland. It considers the interface with the emerging “net zero emissions” agenda, to offer an example of how Scotland aims to grow the sector sustainably and responsibly while tackling major policy challenges, like the effective integration of mechanisms, structures and interventions to tackle surface water flooding. The chapter also offers an explanation of the Scottish Government’s Hydro Nation agenda which seeks to maximise the value of water resources in a sustainable and responsible way and the development of a stakeholder-led vision for the water sector. Finally, given the overarching theme of the main publication in relation to water security, the chapter outlines how Scottish water-related knowledge is shared with developing world nations, with a specific focus on Malawi.

Appendices

Annex 1: Current Responsibilities for Surface Water Management in Scotland

Scottish Government

The Scottish Government is responsible for making national policy on planning and flood risk management including flood protection, natural flood management and flood warning. It is also responsible for drainage of motorway and major trunk roads, through its agency Transport Scotland.

The following organisations have duties and responsibilities to manage surface water and reduce the impacts of flooding.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)

SEPA is Scotland’s national flood forecasting, flood warning authority and strategic flood risk management authority. SEPA produces Scotland's Flood Risk Management Strategies and works closely with other responsible organisations to ensure that a nationally consistent approach to flood risk management is adopted.

Scottish Water

It has the public drainage duty and is responsible for the drainage of rainwater run-off (surface water) from roofs and any paved ground surface within the property boundary. Scottish Water can help protect homes from flooding caused by overflowing or blocked sewers.

Local Authorities

Local authorities are responsible for the drainage of local roads and public highways and for providing flood protection and maintaining watercourses. This includes inspection, clearing and repair of watercourses to reduce flood risk and routine maintenance of road gullies on public roads and highways.

Local authorities are responsible for producing Scotland’s Local Flood Risk Management Plans and work in partnership with SEPA, Scottish Water and other responsible authorities to develop these.

Landowners

Landowners are responsible for the management of surface water on their land and must ensure that run-off from their curtilage does not cause flooding problems to their neighbours.

Individuals

Individuals are responsible for managing their own flood risk and protecting themselves, their family, property or business.

Annex 2: Legislation, Regulations and Guidance

There are multiple pieces of legislation, regulation and guidance relevant to managing our water environment including:

• Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968 (as amended);

• Local Government Scotland Acts 1973 and 1994;

• Control of Pollution Act 1974 (as amended);

• Roads (Scotland) Act 1984;

• Environment Act 1995;

• Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997;

• Building (Scotland) Acts 2003, together with the relevant technical standards;

• The Water Environment & Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003;

• Planning (Scotland) Act 2019;

• Sewers for Scotland (4th Edition) 2018;

• Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009;

• Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011;

• The development planning and development management process;

• The National Planning Framework (NPF) (currently NPF3 soon to be NPF4);

• Scottish Planning Policy (SPP);

• Planning Advice Notes on Flooding, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, Water and Drainage and Designing Streets;

• SuDS for Roads 2010;

• The SuDS Manual (C753) 2015;

• Water Assessment and Drainage Assessment Guide 2016;

• SuDS regulatory method—WAT-RM-08 (SUDSWP);

• https://www.susdrain.org/