Kensington Community Engagement
Dan and Laura had a busy few days in Kensington earlier this month. Visiting over 400 properties, posting 100's of leaflets and engaging directly with nearly 100 residents.
They even had time to co-host a drop in session alongside RBKC at Baseline Studios for residents to come in and see the products available.
Why we knocked on doors
In July 2021, Notting Dale and North Kensington experienced serious surface water flooding.
76 streets were impacted, affecting over 500 properties. Many schools were closed, and hundreds of thousands of pounds in damage was incurred.
This project, delivered in partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London Authority and the Future Neighbourhoods Programme, aims to help tackle surface water flooding by installing up to 50 free rainwater capture devices in local homes.
What happened at the doorstep
We introduced ourselves and explained:
- The project is fully funded.
- Installations are free.
- Devices help slow rainwater before it overwhelms drains.
- We guided them through the process and signed them up to receive a free installation
What do these devices do?
Short, intense storms overwhelm drains as water arrives faster than they can cope.
The water butts on offer collect and temporarily store rainwater from rooftops before it rushes into the drainage system. Water is slowly released back into drains, leaving capacity for the next rainfall event.
In some of the devices, there is also water available for reuse by residents, for car washing, plants and gardens.
By slowing the flow at multiple properties in an area, there is less pressure on drainage systems. This helps reduce the chances of drains becoming overwhelmed and therefore, surface water flooding.
Additional benefits
- Reduced strain on ageing drainage infrastructure
- A measurable contribution to flood resilience
- Monitoring to understand performance of interventions
- A scalable blueprint for future councils
Different homes have different downpipes, layouts and garden space. Suitability assessments ensure installations are appropriate and effective.
Why this project matters beyond Kensington
This project is part of a wider effort under the Future Neighbourhoods Programme to create targeted sustainable drainage (SuDS) interventions.
With a combination of door knocking, digital engagement and other tactics to drive awareness and interest to generate sign-ups, these experiences together have contributed to the success of our campaigns.
If you’re a water company or local authority looking to:
- Increase flood preparedness
- Reduce surface water risk
- Engage communities in tangible climate adaptation
Rainwater capture schemes, combined with in-person engagement, may be a powerful starting point.
Final thoughts
Knocking on over 400 doors was about:
- Listening
- Building trust
- Understanding barriers
- Seeing how policy translates to pavements
Surface water flooding is complex.
There is no single solution.
But sometimes resilience starts with a conversation at the doorstep.