Published last month, The Pitt Review: Learning lessons from the 2007 floods highlighted the potentially disastrous consequences of mass power losses, drinking water shortages, evacuation and a halt to the transport network as a result of flooding.
CIRIA supports this view and the requirement for better guidance to protect the UK’s critical infrastructure. Previous guidance from CIRIA has examined flood resilience and resistance, flood risk management and sustainable drainage with a focus on residential developments.
Since September 2006 CIRIA has been developing a new project Flood resilience and resistance for critical infrastructure that will collate information on flood resilience and resistance measures currently adopted by UK infrastructure asset owners, identifying and providing guidance on approaches to improve the assessment, planning and adaptation to future flooding risk as well as drawing from overseas experience. This project is due to commence in Autumn 2008.
CIRIA will be working closely with the UK’s key infrastructure asset owners, leading academics, suppliers of flood protection solutions, the Environment Agency and other regulators and stakeholders
CIRIA is currently seeking potential funders and partners to be involved in the project. To find out more email Philip Charles or Ben Kidd at CIRIA or telephone: 020 7549 3300.