United Utilities teams up with Deysbrook residents and flood action group to manage rainwater in the community

United Utilities is embarking on its biggest ever water butt provision in the North West, supporting the community of Deysbrook to divert surface water away from the drains into specialised storage, so residents can recycle rainwater for use in their homes and gardens, and reduce potential flood risk in the area.

An amazing 720 planters are due to be delivered over the next couple of months, and locals were invited to sign up to the scheme and obtain their own slow-release water butt for their garden, which can hold 200 litres of water and be used for things like washing muddy boots, dirty paws or watering the plants.

The water company has been working closely with the flood action group to find solutions following localised flooding in the New Year, and earlier in May four SuDSPod rainwater planters were delivered to the local community centre and installed for the locals to enjoy and nurture. The SuDSPod planters are not only an aesthetic addition to any outdoor space, but their practicality benefits both the environment and the purse strings by reducing the need to use tap water. Water butts collect rainwater in gutters to feed plants and slow the water’s journey to the drains and sewer network, which ultimately reduces the potential for drain backfilling and mitigates flood risk.

Steve Kenyon, County Business Lead for Wastewater in Merseyside at United Utilities said: “we, and our dedicated partners have been working closely with the community of Deysbrook to find mutually beneficial solutions to managing rainwater, and to reduce the flood risk to the local area.

“But this is just the beginning – we will continue our work with the flood action group and keep an open channel of communication between us and the community to look at future sustainable solutions that will benefit everyone. Thank you to the people of Deysbrook for working with us on this project.”

Water butts are an efficient way to reuse water, especially in dry or warmer weather to conserve water usage. If each water butt is emptied and refilled 4 times per year, this equates to an incredible 576,000 litres of water available for recycling.