Rainwater planters helping to ‘slow the flow’ in Freckleton

United Utilities is working with the local community and Fylde Council to support flood resilience in Freckleton by managing rainwater.

The water company is offering free rainwater planters to selected suitable homes in the village. By slowing the flow of rainwater during times of heavy rainfall, the planters can play an important role in easing pressure on the sewer network and help boost flood resilience.

The project is one of the first to be delivered as part of United Utilities' region-wide £280 million Rainwater Management programme.

David Bryan from the company's Rainwater Management team explained: "Through our multi-million programme we will be working with partners across the North West to introduce measures which will help manage rainwater where it falls. Capturing, removing or re-using rainwater before it enters the sewer network increases capacity in the system and means it can be channelled into green spaces to benefit communities and the environment.

"The planters we are offering to suitable homes in Freckleton provide a simple and effective way of helping to manage surface water and enhancing Freckleton's flood resilience. They will also give gardeners a helping hand during dry spells."

The attractive planters are made in the North West and will be installed onto a downflow pipe on eligible properties. They feature an area at the top for plants and are provided with four different low maintenance plants which have been selected for their capacity to retain water.

The multi-purpose planters feature a 150-litre tank that holds back rainwater to prevent it all hitting the sewer network at the same time. There's also a 30L rainwater storage tank which acts like a mini water butt, perfect for use around the garden.

A typical house roof gathers around 30,000 litres of rainwater every year - equivalent to 300 bathtubs of water. Typically, this water goes straight down the drain and mixes with the foul water putting extra pressure on sewers.

Through this scheme there is potential to stop up to 65,000 litres of excess rainwater from immediately entering the drainage network during just one heavy rainfall event - that's the same as 434 bathtubs.

Fylde Council's Lead Member for Environment Tommy Threlfall welcomed the programme saying: "We're pleased to see United Utilities taking this proactive approach. It's an attractive initiative that not only helps manage rainwater and reduce flooding risks but also benefits local residents directly, providing a practical way to make the most of rainwater in their gardens.

"It's great to see practical measures that make a real difference for the community, and we thank United Utilities for supporting our residents in this way."