RECLAIM THE RAIN
Discover more about who we are and what we aim to do
Who WE Are
Reclaim the Rain is a pioneering joint initiative between Suffolk and Norfolk County Councils.
It is one of 25 successful projects within Defra’s six-year-long Innovation Resilience Fund Programme. We are exploring unique ways of managing floodwater as climate change is increasing the amount and the likelihood of flooding and coastal change where we live.
We will be working with small rural communities to make the most of this chance; a one-off opportunity under the current funding system to prepare and adapt for the future by creating resilient places.
PROJECT AIMS
We are here to test new ways to reduce flooding in small, rural communities.
To begin with, Reclaim the Rain wants to connect with selected communities that have the potential to benefit from the scheme. We aim to improve at least six communities’ resilience to flood and drought risk, three in Norfolk and three in Suffolk.
The chosen communities will be pioneers, not only making themselves more resilient to flooding and drought, but helping shape new policy to improve water usage for everyone in Norfolk, Suffolk and nationwide. They will evidence the effectiveness of Reclaim the Rain in providing unique water management schemes in rural communities in order to develop opportunities for similar funded schemes in the future.
A key part of our goals is to reuse the floodwater by capturing the water and using it as a valuable resource for agriculture, industry, local community facilities and more.
Reclaim the Rain has the potential to achieve lots of other benefits as well, which could include supporting local environments, providing water for local people and businesses and creating a space for people in the community to take pride in.
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East Anglia
Norfolk and Suffolk are in the most water stressed region of the UK
Annual rainfall (600mm average) is only 70 per cent of the national average (CCRA, 2012)
East Anglia receives
1/3 less rainfall than the west of the UK.
Around 250,000 properties (1 in 12) are at risk of flooding
in the East of England.
55,200 are at significant risk.
Nationally
8% of water resource zones in England are currently at risk of falling short of demand during a severe drought.
This could increase to around 45% in less than 15 years if action isn’t taken.
Adaption Sub-Committee 2011
Without change,
by 2050 water demand will outstrip supply by 200 Ml per day
11% of rivers and 35% of groundwater aquifers in England are ‘probably at risk’ of environmental damage due to water abstraction
Environment Agency
Agriculture
Water used for agriculture in England on average - 1%
Water used in the East of England for agriculture – 16%
East of England grows more than a quarter of England’s wheat and barley, nearly a third of all potatoes and well over half the country’s entire sugar beet crop
Anglian Water, 2019 | Defra, 2011 | NFU 2011