黑洞社区

The chancellor is on a mission to cut government expenditure where and when he can, getting others 鈥� individual taxpayers, companies and investors 鈥� to fund projects themselves wherever possible. Government hasn鈥檛 exactly made this clear, but it does seem that it鈥檚 no longer driving everything green. Increasingly that鈥檚 down to us, individual homeowners, businesses and industry.

黑洞社区 London鈥檚 16-mile long super sewer is a clear example. With a price tag of 拢4.2bn it鈥檚 eye wateringly expensive. Is it needed? Many say not, and critics are right to point out the estimated costs to the taxpayer for the ongoing maintenance and improvement of the sewer.

A study commissioned by Ofwat by Jacobs Babtie shows that a mixed solution combining different elements including Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) could be implemented for around 50% of the cost of the tunnel-only solution - a saving of 拢2.1bn.

It鈥檚 too late to stop the super sewer project and save billions of pounds, but technology has moved on

Thames Water and the Government say London鈥檚 Victorian sewers are overwhelmed. When excess water from heavy rains and storms pours into the sewers the system quickly hits capacity and combined raw sewage and rainwater discharges into the river and streets. The European Commission took the UK to the European Court over the frequency of these spillages and the court ruled against the UK in 2012.

This isn鈥檛 a London problem, it鈥檚 an urban problem. We鈥檝e covered over so much of our urban spaces with roads, paving and concrete - all impermeable surfaces - that water can鈥檛 drain away quickly via permeable surfaces such as gardens and fields.

It鈥檚 too late to stop the super sewer project and save billions of pounds, but technology has moved on. The US City of Philadelphia for example has successfully adopted green infrastructure with living roofs and SUDS.

Dealing with water when and where it falls is a more cost-effective, naturally efficient option, starting with the roof. By capturing, retaining and releasing rainwater in a controlled fashion using living 鈥済reen鈥� roofs the volume of water run-off is reduced and there鈥檚 less potential for contamination.

The government is handing responsibility for green initiatives to businesses and industry to drive, and that sounds a lot harder, but it may be a more certain, secure way forward. Either way, it鈥檚 bye bye to the Green Deal, and hello to individual green initiatives and infrastructure such as living roofs and SUDS.

Andy Williamson is group managing director of IKO