CIWEM has published a new report, funded by the Association of SuDS Authorities (ASA) and the Local Government Technical Advisory Group for Flood Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM), on Surface Water Management.

Risk Management Authorities (RMAs), particularly local government, are significantly under-resourced to manage surface water flood risk.

Only a third of RMAs that responded to a survey for the report said they have a full complement of staff to deliver surface water management and three quarters of RMAs are struggling to recruit new staff. The report also suggested half of the RMAs who responded don’t have locally ring-fenced budgets to manage surface water flooding.

Meanwhile, more than five million households are reported to be at risk from this form of flooding. Surface water management in England is not consistently coordinated or supported with enough locally allocated funds to sufficiently manage future flood risks.

To read the report and download the document, click here.