Guidance
National standards for sustainable drainage systems
Non-statutory standards for the design, maintenance and operation of surface water drainage systems in England.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
The non-statutory standards can help you design, maintain and operate surface water drainage systems for:
- new developments
- retrofit sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) (although not all parts may be directly applicable)
They promote consistency and help ensure long-term performance and resilience.
SuDS聽manage surface water in a way that mimics natural processes, providing a wide range of benefits beyond traditional drainage methods. This makes聽SuDS聽essential for new development.聽
SuDS聽offer opportunities for:聽
- water reuse
- reducing flood risk by slowing and storing runoff聽
- improving water quality by filtering pollutants聽
- enhancing the visual quality of our environment and offering recreational and educational opportunities聽
- supporting biodiversity聽聽
Updates to this page
Published 19 June 2025