Forton Primary School, Lancashire

Flood Prevention

Drought Mitigation

SDS Intellistorm® system supports school sustainability mission.

Overview

Forton Primary School, located in the village of Forton, Lancashire, sits in an area historically prone to surface water flooding. The school comprises approximately 750m² of roof area, with almost half of this discharging to drain via a single downpipe on the east elevation. This configuration created a clear opportunity to intercept roof runoff and reduce pressure on the local combined sewer network.

As part of a wider strategy by United Utilities to improve stormwater management, the school was selected as a pilot site to demonstrate the benefits of intelligent rainwater harvesting and reuse in a public building. The system needed to deliver both flood mitigation and long-term sustainability benefits while remaining safe and requiring minimal maintenance within an active school environment.

What We Did

SDS installed three 1,000-litre above ground tanks equipped with Intellistorm® smart water management system to capture and control roof runoff. The system dynamically balances water storage for reuse and stormwater attenuation, releasing water ahead of forecasted rainfall to maintain available capacity while supplying non-potable demands such as toilet flushing, garden irrigation, and cleaning outdoor play areas.

Initially designed to provide basic water reuse via outside taps, the system has been since upgraded to supply the school’s toilet network, maximising recovered rainwater. SDS SYMBiotIC™ monitoring allows continuous tracking of system performance, ensuring effective management during variable rainfall events. The installation was completed in December 2022 and fully integrated into the school’s daily operations without disrupting teaching or playground activities.

Results

The system has successfully reduced mains water consumption, lowering utility costs and the school’s carbon footprint. By intercepting roof runoff, it has also eased pressure on the local combined sewer network, helping to mitigate downstream flooding.

The Intellistorm® system has demonstrated its effectiveness in managing runoff during heavy rainfall, dynamically releasing water to maintain attenuation capacity while maximising reuse.

Forton Primary School now benefits from an intelligent rainwater management system that supports its day-to-day operations while reducing environmental impact. The project demonstrates how small public buildings can integrate smart water technologies to deliver environmental, financial, and educational value.

It’s been a hugely positive initiative. The children around the school are gaining a better understanding that we are collecting rainwater, and thanks to the great generosity of some parents, we are now using the water to flush our toilets. As a staff and governing body, we are very aware of the impact rainwater harvesting is having on our school. The area where the tanks are installed used to flood, but that hasn’t happened since the installation. We are working on the sustainability plan of our school and how we can improve it, but as we were writing it, we realised we are already way ahead, since we are already collecting rainwater.

– Lorna Boase, Headteacher and PPA Teacher, Forton Primary School

Download

Download this Case Study