A multi-million pound initiative has been announced to transform Liverpool into a more 'spongy' city, capable of absorbing heavy rainfall and reducing flood risk. United Utilities is investing £30 million to implement sustainable water management solutions that capture rainwater where it falls, rather than relying solely on traditional concrete infrastructure.
Blue-Green Interventions Across the City
The programme will introduce a variety of blue-green interventions, including rain gardens, green roofs, urban wetlands, and greener playgrounds. These features are designed to soak up rainwater like a sponge, slowing the flow into sewers and alleviating pressure on the drainage network. This approach also helps reduce the operation of storm overflows, which can discharge untreated sewage during heavy rains.
Global Expertise and Local Partnerships
By 2030, the investment will bring 'sponge city' principles—already successful in cities like New York and Shanghai—to Liverpool. The plans build on a 2025 agreement with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the Mersey Rivers Trust to tackle flood risk, reduce sewage discharges, and improve water quality. Approximately 85% of sewers in Merseyside are combined, meaning rainwater and wastewater share the same pipes, making storm overflows a necessary but problematic feature during intense rainfall.
Ongoing Projects and Community Engagement
Work is already underway in areas such as Deysbrook, where United Utilities has partnered with Alder Hey Children's Hospital on a £536,000 scheme to divert rainwater from the combined sewer into new surface water drains. Additionally, more than 700 water-saving planters have been distributed to residents, each capable of holding up to 200 litres of water, helping households reuse rainwater and reduce local flood risk.
The company is collaborating with major retailers and multi-site owners, including Liverpool ONE, to install rain gardens. Through its Future Leaders of Water programme, United Utilities has already helped 33% of Liverpool's flood-prone schools become spongier and greener, with plans to engage another 100 schools.
Leadership Perspectives
Louise Beardmore, chief executive of United Utilities, unveiled the project at the Flood and Coast Conference in Liverpool. She stated: 'To tackle the challenges of climate change, we need to make our urban areas more spongy. We recognise the value of water as a resource and the importance of working with rainfall and runoff, rather than against it—slowing the flow, reducing flooding, and creating greener, more resilient places for our communities.'
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, commented: 'I made a commitment to make the River Mersey free from untreated sewage discharges by 2030, and last year we brought together United Utilities and the Mersey Rivers Trust to agree a joint plan. Cleaning up our waterways will need all of us to play our part, so it's encouraging to see that partnership translating into investment that reduces pressure on the sewer network, improves water quality, and helps mitigate against the impact of climate change. People want to see action, not just promises, and this is a positive step towards delivering a cleaner and healthier Mersey.'
