Living with Water Partnership – Blue-Green Plan

No strangers to water, Hull and Haltemprice in Yorkshire and East Riding have the second highest flood risk anywhere in the United Kingdom. These areas have faced severe flooding events—flooding in 2007 impacted 9,000 homes and businesses. The potential for severe flooding arises from a complex interaction between a variety of drainage sources, so several organizations joined together to create flood-resilience in the region. Living with Water, or LWW, is the result of that cooperation.

A UK voluntary partnership between Yorkshire Water, Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the Environment Agency, and the University of Hull, LWW works to create flood resilience and a greener environment through sustainable blue-green infrastructure (BGI). We’re collaborating with LWW on their Blue-Green Plan, a new type of strategy which looks through a long-term lens—our system integrators, engineers, planners, and landscape architects understand that a lasting flood-resilient solution goes beyond water.

To support this partnership, our team developed flood resilience and innovative water management methods. Focusing on prioritizing BGI—nature-based solutions and sustainable drainage systems can create better places to live and work while preventing future flooding—the plan includes smart drainage system control and action guidance. How we manage change in the future will increase opportunities creation and create a blue-green resilient city. The plan involved the community at every step, with people and culture being imperative to the strategy.