Plymouth Argyle Football Club

Drought Mitigation

Home Park stadium repurposes SDS attenuation system for pitch irrigation.

Overview

Plymouth Argyle Football Club aimed to enhance its environmental performance at Home Park Stadium by reducing mains water use and improving rainwater management. The goal was to capture and reuse rainwater for pitch irrigation and grounds maintenance, minimising reliance on potable supply.

This project forms part of a wider initiative funded by the Strategic Panel’s Market Improvement Fund and administered by MOSL, exploring the retrofitting of water-saving technologies to existing commercial infrastructure. Home Park was one of only eight national trial sites – and uniquely, the only site to implement a fully operational, on-the-ground solution.

What We Did

SDS delivered a smart rainwater harvesting system that repurposed an existing attenuation tank already installed at the stadium. The system was upgraded to incorporate filtration, storage management, and intelligent pump controls to deliver water on demand for pitch irrigation.

Installation was carefully managed to align with match schedules and stadium operations, ensuring zero disruption. The solution was engineered for long-term resilience, low maintenance, and high performance throughout the football season and beyond.

Results

The upgraded system now provides a sustainable, non-potable water supply for stadium operations, reducing utility costs and significantly lowering the club’s environmental footprint. By utilising existing infrastructure and applying cutting-edge water reuse technology, Plymouth Argyle has demonstrated how professional sports venues can lead the way in practical, scalable water sustainability.

The installation of the rainwater recycling system has been a game-changer for us. It aligns perfectly with our sustainability goals and has significantly reduced our reliance on mains water for pitch irrigation. The collaboration with SDS has been fantastic, and the system’s ease of use and low maintenance requirements make it a long-term solution for the Club. We are proud to be at the forefront of this initiative, setting a positive example for other sports facilities
looking to improve their environmental impact.

– Andrew Bradford, Facilities & Contracts Manager, Plymouth Argyle FC

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