Severn Trent is inviting Shrewsbury customers to a community drop-in event to learn more about a new scheme to reduce flooding in Coton Hil – including using nature-based solutions.

The project team will be available to answer questions from the public at Bagley Sports & Social Club in Greenfields Gardens, in the evening of Tuesday 22nd April, as well as encouraging feedback.

Severn Trent had announced a £470 million investment programme for Shropshire last December, including enhancing Shrewsbury’s sewer system and reducing flood risks.

The funding will now see investment in the Coton Hill area which has suffered flooding issues in the past, including along the footpath known as the ‘Pig Trough’.   

Increasing storm events have seen a higher volume of rainwater passing through the current combined sewer system - which can cause a manhole cover on the path to lift, causing surface flooding. 

Severn Trent has now put forward plans to the local council to separate wastewater from rainfall in Coton Hill, which would help ease pressure on the sewer network at times of heavy downpours. 

The company is also looking to introduce nature-based solutions to the area, including Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) to help reduce flooding. 

SUDS work by diverting surface water from heavy downpours of rain away from sewers and into a nature-based solution called a bioswale, slowing it down and helping drains to cope with the increased rainfall.  A bioswale is a landscaped feature that captures stormwater. 

This follows on from the work Severn Trent is doing to manage stormwater in the town by offering residents of Coton Hill free water butts, to slow the flow of water entering pipes during rainfall.  

Severn Trent is now inviting feedback from the public on the proposals at a drop-in session which will run from 5pm - 7pm at Bagley Sports & Social Club, Shrewsbury, SY1 2RP. 

Catherine Webb, Community Communications Officer for Severn Trent, said: “We’re keen for people to come to the drop-in session to hear all about our plans and have an opportunity to ask us any questions.  

“These new features would not only offer flood prevention and surface water reduction but also provide wider benefits including improved ecology, given we are using a nature-based solution.  

“We’d like the design of the features to include input from the local residents and community groups to help shape the nature-based feature and how these will be introduced.” 

In Shropshire, we’re investing more than £250 million to improve river health and we’ve already installed around 150 solutions along the River Severn with more to come.