Rainwater capture Success in Southend on Sea
Helping residents capture rain for free in Southend thanks to Catchment to Coast and Anglian Water.
Capturing the Rain
During summer 2026, we wrapped up rainwater planter installations on Fairmead Avenue in Westcliff-on-Sea.
Over 7,600 litres of rainwater storage has been added across households, churches and schools, across a total of 21 locations.
35 devices are now helping to slow the flow of rainwater, easing pressure on local drainage systems and even providing residents with water to use for their outdoor spaces and plants.
Had an installation? Take part in our Fairmead in Bloom Competition for a chance to win a £100 garden centre voucher and more!
Residential, school & heritage buildings
Collecting insights from monitoring
35 devices installed across 21 locations
7689L of rainwater storage added
102 square feet of habitat created
Working Together for Success
With tight deadlines and logistical challenges, the pressure was on with this project. Working with project partners and the local community was key to success.
How did we achieve this?
- Reaching out to residents using various methods
- Building rapport and problem solving with residents
- Managing the process through our purpose build rainwater management platform
- Working with project partners, Southend City Council and Anglian to find solutions throughout the project
Gathering Insights
Understanding how rainwater capture devices, like rainplanters, perform in the real-world is a key part of the project.
To achieve this, every device is being monitored, in real-time - making them a data driven asset.
We can assess performance and impact, every time it rains.
Plus, we know how well the device is working and whether it needs any maintenance.
Our relationship with householders means we can work with them to ensure devices are well maintained, ensuring longevity and maximising project performance.
Community Impact
These devices are not only water butts for watering your roses.
Paired with our platform and engagement methods they are tools for teaching. Residents learn about managing rainwater where it lands, wastewater and how their actions collectively make a difference to surface water flooding and sewer spills.
After the delays in kicking off with this project, residents were delighted to see us come back again.
Project Partners
