Why rainwater monitoring will only become more important

Stormwater management has become more urgent in the face of increasing urbanization and climate change. 

Urbanization has expanded impermeable surfaces (so-called ‘urban creep), thereby reducing the land's natural ability to absorb rainwater.  

This, coupled with increased rainfall from climate change, exacerbates flooding and overwhelms sewer systems.  

"There are lots of secondary challenges,” says Dr. Ari Cooper-Davis, Lead Platform Developer at Our Rainwater. “Lots of utility companies are facing budgetary challenges and regulatory constraints.”

To watch the full interview, click here. 

How do we measure success in stormwater management? 

Success in stormwater management depends on meeting diverse stakeholder needs. Utilities strive to reduce spills, avoiding fines and safeguarding water quality. 

Local authorities prioritize minimizing street flooding to prevent public service disruptions. Effective stormwater solutions ensure safer, more functional urban environments for communities. 

Households seek cost-effective water reuse methods, while citizen scientists monitor rainfall, raising awareness.  

“The metric of success really varies based on who we’re working with”, says Dr. Cooper-Davis. “But generally, we’re looking at reducing the amount of water that’s ending up in our drainage networks.” 

Hydraulic modelling for stormwater management 

By analyzing historic and simulated rainfall patterns, hydraulic modeling can help to design effective, targeted stormwater interventions.  

‘Design storms’ simulate rainfall events, aiding in comparing interventions across intensities. Surface water modeling offers insights in data-limited areas. 

Communities contribute valuable local knowledge, identifying flooding hotspots, and telemetry monitoring enhances solutions by providing real-time performance data. 

“We do a lot of hydraulic modelling,” says Dr. Cooper-Davis. “Communities really are the cornerstone of our work; they show you where the opportunities are.” 

Monitoring the efficacy of sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) 

Sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) include bioswales, retention ponds, and rain gardens, which address flooding whilst supporting environmental sustainability. 

Reliable long-term performance data for SuDS remains scarce. Monitoring systems help evaluate their effectiveness, improving future project design and implementation. 

By refining interventions with data-driven insights, SuDS solutions become more efficient, durable, and better suited to address evolving stormwater challenges. 

“I think monitoring and telemetry is going to become much more widespread,” says Dr. Cooper-Davis.

To watch the full interview, click here.