Water Articles and Publications
Making space for water
Recent floods in the UK have emphasised the social and financial impacts of extreme weather events and the complexity of flood risk management. With climate change predicted to lead to increases in heavy rainfall, a more accurate understanding of flooding processes and the multiple sources that present flood risk is essential to ensure that prevention measures are effective and resources used wisely.
Read the latest issue of our Water & Environment Solutions Magazine.
This latest issue includes a number of very topical areas, namely sustainable development in regeneration, complex infrastructure projects, carbon footprinting and corporate sustainability to meeting targets in waste management.
Northern Ireland Water is currently undertaking a major Stormwater Management project in Belfast aimed at improving water quality in the River Lagan and reducing the flooding risk within the inner city. The company is investing £120million on this scheme which also incorporates the rehabilitation and upgrading of Belfast’s mainly Victorian sewer system. Atkins was appointed by Northern Ireland Water in July 2003 to undertake the project management and planning including the preliminary design associated with the tunnel system.
Read an update on this story
Many of the techniques used in sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) are not new, not even new to the UK. However their usage in land developments has previously been restricted to flood risk management. Richard Whale of Atkins looks at how barriers to SUDS’ usage are being overcome.
Read the full article
Improving access to sustainable water resources is a major development priority for the world’s poorest people. Atkins is committed to addressing this priority and promoting effective water resource management.
Download our Water and Sustainable Development Brochure
Environmental legislation is becoming increasingly more complex. The Water Framework Directive (WFD), which will come into force in 2009/10, requires a fully integrated approach to deliver its objectives for river basin management. Programmes of measures defined by the river basin plans will need to address the potential implications of climate change and the carbon footprint that each potential improvement may impose.
Read about Atkins' work in this complex area