A Case Study: Engineered Stormwater Solutions for Severn Trent

Johanna Munoz — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 10:25:15 +0000

Overview

Managing stormwater effectively is a growing challenge for water utilities, requiring innovative solutions to prevent flooding, comply with environmental regulations, and ensure operational efficiency. Severn Trent, one of the UK’s largest and most trusted water utility companies, serves millions of homes and businesses across the Midlands and Wales, maintaining an extensive network of treatment plants, pumping stations, and drainage systems. With increasing pressure from climate change, extreme weather events, and evolving regulatory requirements, Severn Trent needed a cost-effective and transportable stormwater storage solution to prevent overflow incidents at small treatment works and pumping stations, ensuring continued service reliability and environmental protection across its network.

As a specialist in bespoke steel fabrication and engineered water containment solutions, JS Burgess delivered high-capacity stormwater storage tanks designed for rapid deployment, relocation, and long-term resilience.

The Challenge: Addressing Stormwater Overflow Risks

Stormwater management presents significant challenges for utility providers like Severn Trent. In recent years, the Midlands and Wales have seen a measurable increase in rainfall, with annual precipitation levels rising by over 10% in Wales over the past 60 years, alongside a growing number of heavy rainfall events. The Midlands has also experienced persistently high rainfall totals, with many months exceeding 100% of the long-term average.

These trends, driven by climate change and increased storm frequency, have placed mounting pressure on drainage systems, treatment works, and pumping stations, raising the risk of surface water flooding and infrastructure overflows. This growing challenge has been further compounded by stricter environmental compliance regulations aimed at protecting natural watercourses from pollution and runoff contamination. As a result, the need for scalable, adaptable water retention systems has never been more critical, ensuring that stormwater can be effectively stored, managed, and discharged in a controlled manner. Key concerns included:

Overflow Prevention – Existing treatment works needed additional capacity to prevent flooding and system overloading.
Rapid Deployment – A transportable solution was required to be easily deployed and relocated across multiple sites.
Compliance & Durability – The storage solution needed to be fully compliant with water retention standards while ensuring long-term reliability.

The Solution: High-Capacity, Transportable Stormwater Storage Tanks

JS Burgess provided Severn Trent with 50-cubic-yard stormwater storage tanks designed specifically to improve stormwater retention and mitigate flooding risks. These tanks featured:

RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) Hook-Lift System – Enabling quick relocation and deployment across different sites.
Customisable Designs – Available in open or enclosed configurations, with breather vents included in enclosed models for pressure regulation.
Fully Welded, Watertight Steel Construction – Ensuring long-term durability and minimal maintenance.
Longitudinal Infills – Adding extra structural strength for enhanced resilience in extreme weather conditions.

By integrating these features, JS Burgess provided Severn Trent with a cost-effective, scalable, and flexible stormwater storage solution that could be adapted to changing site conditions.

The Results: Efficient and Scalable Stormwater Management

The implementation of JS Burgess’ stormwater storage tanks delivered measurable improvements in flood prevention and site management for Severn Trent:

Improved Flood Resilience – Additional storage capacity significantly reduced overflow incidents at treatment works.
Transportable & Scalable Solution – RoRo compatibility allowed for easy relocation to different sites as needed.
Operational Efficiency – Tanks were manufactured and delivered rapidly, supporting Severn Trent’s urgent project timelines.
Cost-Effective Alternative – A modular, affordable option compared to permanent infrastructure upgrades.

Conclusion: A Trusted Partner in Stormwater Management

In addition to high-capacity storage tanks, JS Burgess provides storm filtration tanks engineered to integrate with external filtration systems for regulatory-compliant water discharge. As part of our steel fabrication service, we can design and manufacture custom watertight steel structures designed to meet diverse industry needs.

JS Burgess continues to be a trusted engineering partner for water utilities and infrastructure providers across the UK. We remain at the forefront of helping clients tackle flood risks, meet compliance standards, and deploy cost-effective, scalable infrastructure.

To learn more about our stormwater storage, filtration tanks, and bespoke steel fabrication services, contact us today.