Rainwater harvesting and sustainable drainage on the Isle of Wight
Background
The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, situated on the shores of Sandown Bay on the Isle of Wight, is home to rescued animals from around the world including bears, lions, tigers, and many other species. The Sanctuary welcomes thousands of visitors each year and uses over 2 million litres of potable water annually for visitors, horticulture, and the animals in its care. With 18 million litres of rainwater falling on the site each year, all of that surface water was previously flowing into the combined sewer and on to the pumping stations on the Isle of Wight, overwhelming them and causing storm overflow releases.
Southern Water identified an opportunity to work with the Sanctuary to address this, and Ecoprod was engaged to facilitate the delivery of a comprehensive water efficiency programme. The project brought together Southern Water’s Water Efficiency team and the Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force to install Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and rainwater harvesting tanks, with the twofold goal of reducing surface water entering the sewer system and reducing the Sanctuary’s reliance on potable water.
Project drivers and requirements
The project comprised two main elements.
A dedicated trail was created along the western side of the Sanctuary featuring a series of Sustainable Drainage System features designed to manage surface water run-off naturally. The SuDS Safari demonstrates different water management solutions while serving as an engaging, educational experience for visitors of all ages.
The features installed include: ✓ Permeable paving ✓ Rain garden ✓ Rain channel ✓ Swales ✓ Mud kitchen ✓ Rain basin ✓ Wetland area ✓ Interactive water play wall
The trail utilises gravity to move water from the highest point of the Sanctuary down through the various SuDS features, slowing the flow of water into the environment and promoting biodiversity along the way. Associated information boards help visitors of all ages understand their contribution to the environment and how they can protect it.
Additionally, two giant 25,000 litre storage tanks were installed to capture rainwater from the roof of the Sanctuary’s Café and Shop. This harvested water feeds into the bear pond for Benji and Balu – two rescued bears from Azerbaijan – as and when it is needed, providing a free and sustainable source of water for the animals while significantly reducing the Sanctuary’s demand for potable water.
To achieve the rainwater harvesting scheme, all the rainwater goods (guttering and downpipes) had to be renewed covering the whole Welcome Building.
Advantages
✓ Reduces onsite flooding and local storm overflows by diverting 18 million litres of rainwater per year from the combined sewer
✓ Reduces the amount of potable water being used, especially at peak times of year, saving over 2 million litres annually
✓ Boosts biodiversity through extra plant life, wetland habitats, and encouragement of pollinators
✓ Offsets increased water demand from the arrival of rescued bears Benji and Balu
✓ Provides long-term visitor engagement and environmental education through the SuDS Safari trail
✓ Supports healthier rivers and seas on the Isle of Wight, benefiting local tourism and communities
Outcomes and future benefits
The project delivered benefits across several objectives simultaneously – lowering the Sanctuary’s water bill, creating interactive educational areas for visitors, reducing potable water consumption, and contributing to healthier rivers and seas on the Isle of Wight.
The bears, Benji and Balu, love their new environment and can often be seen playing in the water and exploring the vegetation. Flood risk has been reduced on the Sanctuary grounds, as the SuDS Safari takes care of surface water run-off that previously contributed to storm overflow releases.
The project has been met with enthusiastic responses from visitors, allowing the Sanctuary to explain the project and generating positive engagement with its water-saving mission. Reusing harvested rainwater to fill the bear pond means more potable water is available to islanders, which is crucial given that the Isle of Wight is a water scarce area. Healthier rivers and seas will support local tourism, communities, and biodiversity across the island.
Working on this project
Working with the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary and Southern Water on this project has been incredibly rewarding. The combination of SuDS and rainwater harvesting delivers real, measurable benefits for water efficiency and the local environment. It is a great example of what can be achieved when organisations collaborate with a shared commitment to sustainability. We encourage other businesses and charities across the South to explore similar opportunities.
Marcus Rose, Managing Director, Ecoprod
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