In this episode, host Natasha Wiseman dives into the power of partnership. As the UK water sector faces increasing pressure from climate change and regulatory scrutiny, the ”lone wolf” approach to water management is no longer viable. 

Explore the evolving landscape of sustainable water management, the role of green infrastructure, and community engagement in safeguarding our rivers and urban catchments. This episode highlights innovative practices, collaboration, and future visions for resilient water systems in the UK. 

Guest 1: Dr Simon De-Ville. A lecturer in Water and Environmental Engineering at the University of Liverpool. Simon's work is at the cutting edge of research into sustainable drainage systems, suds as they're known, and he works closely with industry leaders to take academic insights and turn them into best practice in the real world, helping ensure our infrastructure and resource management is fit for the future. 

Guest 2: Dr Claire Robertson. Catchment manager at Thames 21, a registered charity partnering with local communities to reconnect people with their rivers. Claire is a community organiser, researcher, and a fierce advocate for the natural world. She has built an impressive career spanning ecological research, high-impact advocacy, and stakeholder engagement and brings a wealth of experience in bridging the gap between scientific fieldwork and community action. 

Key takeaways 

• The importance of sustainable drainage systems (SUDs) for water management and flood resilience 

• How green infrastructure can be integrated into urban and catchment-scale flood mitigation 

• The role of monitoring, citizen science, and data in assessing SUDs performance 

• Collaboration between utilities, NGOs, academia, and communities for effective river stewardship 

• Challenges and barriers to scaling nature-based water solutions 

• Policy and funding need to accelerate catchment recovery efforts 

• Practical case studies demonstrating measurable benefits of SUDs in Mansfield and Hounslow 

• Future outlook: mainstreaming green infrastructure in urban planning 

Sponsored by Xylem UK and Ireland.