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“name”: “Do small developments really need a NNAMS?”,
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“text”: “Yes. Even single dwellings can trigger nutrient neutrality rules if they are in a sensitive catchment. Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) are required to assess all developments that could increase nutrient loading, regardless of scale.”
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“text”: “The NNAMS Navigator™ is our five-stage process for preparing nutrient neutrality assessments. It’s not a DIY guide, it’s the structured framework we follow to make sure every NNAMS is approached consistently, while tailoring the detail to the unique circumstances of each site.”
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“name”: “What information do you need from me to get started?”,
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“text”: “Typically we need: site location and boundaries, proposed development layout and uses, existing land use and drainage information, and details of foul and surface water discharges. We will confirm the specifics with you at the start.”
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{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Can you guarantee approval?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No consultant can guarantee approval, as each LPA has discretion. What we can do is reduce the risk of delay or refusal by following the NNAMS Navigator™ process, ensuring every assessment is clear, evidence-based, and aligned with policy.”
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{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Is there any benefit in paying a consultant to do the Nutrient Neutrality Assessment, when there are official calculators freely available?”,
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“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “The calculators provided by LPAs are based on Natural England’s guidance and are useful for preparing nutrient budgets. Many of them include an option to account for SuDS. However, they do not calculate the nutrient removal rates for you, those figures need to be derived separately and entered into the tool. Getting those numbers right is critical, as SuDS performance depends on design, location, and catchment context.\n\nIn addition, the calculators cannot provide advice on where mitigation needs to be located, or, in the case of wetlands, the hydrological characteristics required for them to function effectively. This is where assessments often fail: space may be allocated for mitigation without consideration of the water sources feeding it.\n\nBy following the NNAMS Navigator™ process, we ensure the nutrient budget is minimised appropriately and that mitigation strategies are credible, reducing the risk of over-reliance on credits or proposals that won’t satisfy the LPA or Natural England.”
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{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Are there any circumstances in which my development might be exempt from being nutrient neutral?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Yes, but only in limited circumstances, such as when phosphorus from a package treatment plant cannot reach a designated site. Proving this requires site-specific investigation and compliance with Natural England-approved criteria. If the exemption criteria cannot be met, a nutrient budget and mitigation will still be required.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Could I eliminate the nutrients from my wastewater if I use an on-site package treatment plant (PTP) before discharging into the sewer?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No. Any water that enters the sewer is treated to the same standard at the sewage works, regardless of its quality when entering. Reducing phosphorus load upstream does not improve your site’s nutrient budget.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “If I have to obtain mitigation off-site, could I implement a mitigation scheme large enough to produce ‘nutrient credits’ to sell to other developers?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Yes. Although a formal market is still developing, it is possible to create mitigation schemes that benefit several developments and negotiate credit sales. However, Natural England must verify that nutrients are offset and that credits are legally tied to mitigation in perpetuity (80–120 years). Any transactions must be legally watertight.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How long will it take for LPAs to develop their strategies?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Progress varies by region and is often slow, as LPAs need to secure land and implement mitigation schemes. Some areas now allow purchase of credits, but capacity remains limited. Private mitigation schemes continue to play an important role in providing timely solutions.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Does off-site mitigation always require wholesale conversion of agricultural land to woodland or meadow?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No. The most effective schemes minimise disruption to agriculture. Interceptor wetlands on riparian land and retrofit SuDS can be highly efficient, reducing nutrient loads by up to 50–80%. These options are often preferred by Natural England, as urban runoff is considered more polluting than agricultural runoff.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Why isn’t nutrient neutrality being dealt with by the water companies?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Water companies already have obligations to reduce nutrients under national regulation, but Natural England still requires new developments to demonstrate neutrality. Permits for treatment works vary based on location and housing demand. Developers remain responsible for demonstrating neutrality in planning applications.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Is a constructed wetland the right solution for my nutrient mitigation strategy?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “A Free Water Surface (FWS) wetland can be a viable mitigation solution if you have a combination of the following three elements:\n\nA source of influent with sufficient nutrient content (concentrations of at least 0.1 mg/l of Total Phosphorus and/or 4 mg/l of Total Nitrogen)\nA source of influent with sufficient flow (ideally available all year)\nAn area of land where a wetland can be constructed with the ability to intercept the source of influent and discharge the treated water to a watercourse\nThis can either be on site (with respect to the new development), or off site as long as it is in the correct catchment (ideally located between the relevant wastewater treatment works and the designated site).”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What treatment efficiency will a constructed wetland achieve for Phosphorus and/or Nitrogen?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Many people have been led to believe that all wetlands achieve 46% and 37% reductions for Total Phosphorus (TP) and Total Nitrogen (TN), respectively. This is a result of the widely cited Land et al. study which was never intended to be used as a design resource. In reality, wetlands achieve a range of treatment efficiencies depending on the type of wetland and the three key variables of flow, concentration and area. The project specific treatment efficiencies must be calculated using an appropriate wetland design model and unfortunately, a rule of thumb does not apply.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What size does a nutrient mitigation wetland need to be?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “We’ve seen wetlands being sized on the basis of removing TN and TP at a rate of 93 and 1.2 g/m2/year, respectively, and we’ve even seen this built into some of the regional nutrient budget calculators. Again, this is a result of the widely cited Land et al. study and is not a suitable basis of design. Constructed wetlands must be sized according to an appropriate wetland design model. The best approach is to see what size of wetland may be possible in the available area (assuming that a wetland project is viable – see question 1) and then use the design model to estimate how much mitigation is possible. It I important to note that the ‘active area’ of a wetland used in calculations is net of the surrounding berms / accessways and water control structures that are essential for the wetland to function. This should be considered as early as possible on your project – we have had experience of trying to ‘shoe horn’ wetlands into the masterplan at the eleventh hour to try and achieve the mitigation that was thought possible before anyone considered this.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Is the area of a constructed wetland proportional to its treatment efficiency?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No, it isn’t. If you have a wetland of 0.5 ha and an estimated treatment efficiency of 50%, increasing the size to 1.0 ha will not give you 100% efficiency. Firstly, the relationship between area and treatment efficiency (for a fixed flow and concentration) is logarithmic, not linear. Secondly, constructed wetlands have background concentrations of TN and TP and it is not possible for the final treated water to have 0 mg/l of each.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Can I use a constructed wetland to treat my septic tank effluent, or should I use a package treatment plant (PTP) instead of a septic tank?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Yes, constructed wetlands can be used to treat the discharge from septic tanks, enabling the treated water to discharge to a ditch or watercourse. This is a sustainable alternative to using a PTP, which will typically consume electrical energy for operation. Septic tanks provide primary treatment of sewage effluent, whereas PTP’s provide both primary and secondary treatment in one unit (secondary treatment is a mandatory requirement). Drainage fields also provide secondary treatment of septic tank effluent, although their effectiveness depends on the permeability of the soil and there are many failed systems in existence, suffering from surface ponding and stagnation. However, paragraph 1.15 of building regs doc H recognises that constructed wetlands also provide secondary treatment. The only other consideration is the area requirement for a constructed wetland, which is typically 3 m2 per population equivalent (PE) for domestic sewage effluent applications, with a minimum area of 15 m2.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Do constructed wetlands smell?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No, not if they are designed and maintained correctly. Constructed wetlands for domestic sewage effluent applications are typically of a ‘vertical flow’ (VF) design, whereby the effluent percolates through a porous bed media in a highly aerobic environment. Smells are typically caused by stagnant water at depth, which can become anaerobic and produce hydrogen sulphide which has a rotten egg odour. Horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) wetlands are more prone to blockage and stagnation over time, but if designed and maintained correctly the risk is low.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Do constructed wetlands require a lot of maintenance?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No, although just like a PTP, regular maintenance is critical to the ongoing performance. Unlike the maintenance of a PTP, only basic gardening skills are required to maintain constructed wetlands. The main task is the management of the vegetation (reeds). Following commissioning, the bed should be weeded whilst the reeds become established. After 2-3 years, the reeds need to be cut back on a rotational basis each autumn (about 25% of the bed area at one time, changing the area each time so that the cutting follows a 4 yearly cycle). This keeps the reeds rejuvenated and prevents too much plant litter from accumulating on the bed. Exposed pipework should be inspected annually for any signs of blockage / damage.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Do I need an Environmental Permit for a constructed wetland?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Possibly, it depends on the application. If the total volume of wastewater is < 5 m3 (a maximum population equivalent, PE of 33), and the wastewater is entirely domestic sewage effluent, then the treated water from the wetland can discharge to surface water (ditch, stream, river, estuary, lake, canal or coastal water) without the need for an Environmental Permit. This is on the basis that the application would comply with the EA’s ‘General binding rules for small sewage discharge to a surface water’. Alternatively, if the total volume of wastewater is < 2 m3 (a maximum PE of 13) and still entirely domestic sewage effluent, then the treated water can discharge to ground (soakaway). This is on the basis that the application would comply with the EA’s ‘General binding rules for small sewage discharge to the ground’. Further information can be found directly from the EA in the following links:\n\nhttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/general-binding-rules-small-sewage-discharge-to-a-surface-water\n\nhttps://www.gov.uk/guidance/general-binding-rules-small-sewage-discharge-to-the-ground”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Can constructed wetlands be used to treat industrial effluent?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Yes, they can. Constructed wetlands have been used to treat a range of industrial effluents, and they are particularly adept at treating wastewater from the food and beverage sector where biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrogen and phosphorus are the key pollutants. They offer a sustainable alternative to exporting of wastewater (by tanker lorry) which is very costly, and they can also be more affordable than discharge to the sewer (as trade effluent). However, viability will depend upon the available space and proximity to a watercourse that the treated effluent can discharge to. Pre-treatment of the wastewater may also be required, e.g. for pH correction or the reduction of high concentrations of heavy metals / oxidising chemicals which could be toxic to the wetland. An Environmental Permit will definitely be required from the EA.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What does SuDS actually mean, and what problem is it trying to solve?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “SuDS stands for Sustainable Drainage Systems. It is an approach to managing rainfall where you control runoff close to where it lands, rather than just piping it away. The aim is to reduce flood risk, improve water quality, and (where possible) support amenity and biodiversity by mimicking how a site would behave hydrologically if it were less developed.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “When do we need to start thinking about SuDS in the design programme?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “At concept stage. If SuDS is left until after the layout, levels, basements, highways, and utilities are fixed, you end up forcing a drainage solution into whatever space is left. The most cost-effective SuDS schemes are shaped by early decisions: finished floor levels, exceedance routes, where you can store water, and what surfaces you are committing to.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Is SuDS just “soakaways and permeable paving”?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “No. Those are just two tools. SuDS is a hierarchy of measures: reduce runoff at source (green roofs, rain gardens, permeable surfaces), store and convey (swales, basins, rills, oversized pipes in some cases), treat water (vegetated systems, filtration, separators where appropriate), and discharge at a controlled rate. The right combination depends on soil, groundwater, contamination risk, space, maintenance capability, and adoption constraints.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How do we decide between infiltration and attenuation?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Start with constraints: infiltration testing, groundwater levels, ground conditions, contamination risk, and nearby structures. If infiltration is viable and safe, it is usually preferable because it reduces discharge volume as well as peak flow. If not, attenuation is the default: store and throttle the discharge to a permitted rate. Often you end up with a hybrid: partial infiltration plus controlled overflow to a sewer or watercourse.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What are the typical reasons SuDS schemes fail at planning or detailed design?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Four common ones:\nNo robust ground investigation or infiltration testing, so the drainage concept is not evidenced.\nLevels are not resolved, so exceedance routing and freeboard are guesswork.\nTreatment is not demonstrated (or the wrong level of treatment is assumed for the pollution hazard).\nThe maintenance plan is vague, with no clear responsible party, access, or realistic frequencies.\n”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What does “treatment train” mean in practical terms?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “It means you do not rely on one feature to do everything. You manage water quality in stages using multiple measures: for example, permeable paving (source control and filtration) draining to a swale (conveyance and treatment), then into a basin or wetland feature (settlement, biological uptake, further polishing) before discharge. The objective is to reduce pollution risk, not just move water around.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How much space does SuDS need, realistically?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “There is no single number, but if you design it into the landscape it is rarely “extra space”. Swales replace kerbs and pipes. Basins become usable open space when dry. Permeable paving replaces standard paving build-ups. The schemes that feel space-hungry are usually the ones where SuDS has been added late and forced into one corner, so everything has to be stored in one feature rather than distributed.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Who maintains SuDS, and what does “maintainable” actually mean?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Maintainable means the features can be accessed safely, inspected easily, and maintained with ordinary grounds maintenance capability. You also need clarity on who is responsible: private owner, management company, local authority, water company, or another adopting body. A good O&M plan is specific: access points, sediment forebays, silt management, vegetation management, inspection frequency, and what “intervention thresholds” look like.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What do you need from us to give a reliable SuDS strategy and avoid redesign later?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Three essentials:\nA workable levels strategy (even at concept) so exceedance, freeboard, and flow routes can be proven.\nGround information proportionate to stage (and infiltration testing if you want infiltration).\nClarity on discharge and adoption: likely outfall options, any discharge limits, and who is expected to maintain/adopt.\nIf those are in place early, SuDS stops being a risk item and becomes a design asset.\n”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “When do we need to appoint a water feature consultant?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Early concept, before the geometry is locked. The feature’s footprint, water depth, edge detail, plant space, access routes, plant room location, structural allowances, and acoustic constraints all affect the architecture and levels. If you leave it to late Stage 3 or Stage 4, you usually end up compromising the design intent or carrying unnecessary cost and risk into construction.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Why can’t the specialist contractor just “design and build” it?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “They can, but it changes the risk profile. Contractor design is often product-led and tied to their preferred equipment and methods. That can be fine if the Employer accepts performance ambiguity, limited competitive tendering, and potential scope gaps appearing later. A consultant-led design sets the performance requirements, coordinates interfaces, and gives you a buildable, comparable tender package so you stay in control of outcome, cost, and quality.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What information do you need from the design team to design the feature properly?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “We need the intent and the constraints: feature type and desired effect, plan geometry and levels, adjacent paving build-up, structural concept, waterproofing approach (or at least the intent to coordinate it), plant room location options, power and water supply constraints, operational hours, wind exposure, noise sensitivity, and who will operate and maintain it. Without those, you can draw something that looks good but cannot be delivered reliably.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What are the biggest technical risks that cause features to fail or become a maintenance problem?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Four recurring ones:\nWaterproofing and structural coordination not resolved early, leading to leaks and defects that are expensive to fix.\nPoor maintainability: no safe access to pumps, valves, strainers, UV, dosing, or no space to lift equipment out.\nWater quality not engineered: filtration and disinfection missing or underspecified, causing algae, odour, scaling, and blocked jets.\nHydraulic design not proven: uneven jet performance, poor flow distribution, air entrainment, noise, and unreliable effects in wind.\n”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How do you stop water features becoming algae-green or smelly?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “You treat it as a managed water system, not a decorative bowl. That means correct turnover, filtration matched to bather load (if interactive) or environmental load (if ornamental), appropriate disinfection (often UV plus controlled chemical balance depending on feature type), and design decisions that reduce contamination such as controlling debris entry, avoiding dead zones, and allowing effective cleaning. You also design for realistic operation, not perfect operation.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Do we need a plant room, and where should it go?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Most features need a plant space, whether that is a dedicated plant room, a kiosk, a vault, or a below-grade chamber. Location matters: it should be close enough to keep pipe runs sensible and minimise losses, accessible for maintenance and equipment replacement, ventilated where required, and coordinated with drainage for backwash or dump-to-waste where applicable. If the plant ends up too far away, you pay for it in pipework, energy, and reduced performance.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “How much water and energy will it use, and how do we keep running costs under control?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Water use is mainly from evaporation, wind drift, splash-out, and maintenance operations like filter backwash or periodic partial drain-down. Energy use comes from pumps, treatment equipment, and any heating (rare for most external features, common for spas and pools). Control comes from efficient hydraulics (low losses, correct pipe sizing), variable speed drives, sensible operating schedules, robust wind shut-off logic, and designing the visual effect to be achievable without brute-force pump power.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What does a “proper tender package” for a water feature actually include?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Enough to price and build without interpretation. Typically: coordinated GA drawings and levels, hydraulic schematics and key calculations, equipment schedules, jet/nozzle layouts, pipework and valve arrangements, treatment philosophy, control philosophy and sensor strategy, power loads, drainage and make-up water requirements, access and maintainability requirements, and performance criteria (visual effect, noise limits, wind operating limits). It also clearly defines interfaces: structure, waterproofing, MEP, landscape, and architectural finishes.”
}
},
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What benefit is there in a performance specification rather than specifying named manufacturers?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Control and comparability.\n•\tYou protect the design intent. A performance spec defines what the feature must achieve (jet height and uniformity, sheet flow stability, wind tolerance, noise limits, water clarity, lighting output, control sequences, etc.). That stops the outcome being dictated by whatever equipment a contractor prefers to sell.\n•\tYou get genuine competition at tender. If you name manufacturers, you often end up with “approved equals” arguments, substitutions, and bids that are not like-for-like. A performance spec forces bidders to demonstrate compliance to the same measurable criteria, so price comparisons are meaningful.\n•\tYou avoid being locked into one supply chain. Named products can create single-point risk (lead times, discontinuations, local availability). Performance requirements allow alternatives provided they meet the technical outcome.\n•\tYou reduce variations later. A manufacturer-led approach can look cheaper initially, then drift when gaps appear (controls, filtration, access, waterproofing interfaces, power loads). A performance-led package makes the scope explicit, which reduces claims and change orders.\n•\tYou keep the contractor honest without being adversarial. You are not criticising their products. You are simply setting a clear standard of outcome and evidence, which is what developers and design teams should want on any specialist system.\n”
}
}
]
},
“award”: [
“Highly Commended – Biodiversity featured Award: Water Management”
],
“memberOf”: [
{
“@type”: “Organization”,
“name”: “Constructed Wetland Association “,
“url”: “https://constructedwetland.co.uk/member-profile/35”
}
],
“booking”: {
“booking_form_url”: “”,
“email_mailto”: “info@waterdesign-engineers.co.uk”
},
“availability”: {
“timezone”: “Europe/London”,
“updated_iso”: “2026-01-09T19:58:44.012Z”,
“slots”: []
},
“policies”: {}
}