It’s Great Big Green Week (8^th – 16^th June) and Mansfield’s in bloom!

The town is in the middle of a big green make over, as Severn Trent’s been turning to nature to help combat the effects of climate change.

In a £76m investment, the company has been installing sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) to help reduce risk of flooding for 90,000 people living in the town.

In community areas that were heavily built up of hard, concrete surfaces – now have an injection of green as rain gardens, bioswales, street planters, detention basins and permeable paving have been installed to capture rain – reducing surface flooding to homes and businesses.

A project to this scale has never been tried before in the UK, and is set to become the blueprint for future flood management around the world – as the company leads the way in greener, nature based solutions as the country faces challenges from climate change and population growth.

Adam Boucher, Severn Trent Programme Lead said: “Great Big Green Week is a week to recognise those who are making a difference to help create a better future, as the UK faces challenges from climate change – and this work we’re doing in Mansfield is doing just that.

“With more rain, and more built-up areas – when it rains the water has nowhere to go and can cause surface flooding. Installing these clever drainage systems, that on the surface look just like a plants, actually have a real role in storing and filtering rainwater before releasing it back to the network or ground.”

The company has been working closely with Nottinghamshire County Council and Mansfield District Council on it’s greener vision for Mansfield and say when work has been completed in 2025, the town will be able to hold an additional equivalent of a dozen Olympic size swimming pools of water.

“It’s amazing seeing the progress around the town, from when we first installed the first drainage system, to now seeing parts of the town in full bloom and raingardens thriving.

“Particularly in the town centre, with the raingarden that’s in full bloom now – which not only has a job in reducing flooding, but is creating lovely areas for nature to thrive and for people in Mansfield to enjoy.”

For more information on the work happening in Mansfield, please visit stwater.co.uk/Mansfield