Sustainable urban drainage is a concept that includes long term environmental and social factors in decisions about drainage. It takes account of the quantity and quality of water runoff and the amenity value of surface water in the urban environment. Sustainable urban drainage development was the central theme of the UN Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro in 1992, which tasked governments to produce their own strategies for sustainable development. The UK Government updated its national strategy in May 1999. At the same time the Local Government Management Board published Local Agenda 21 - A framework for local sustainability each local authority has its own Agenda 21 strategy.

Cities, towns and villages create demands on the environment by using resources and producing waste. The construction industry is therefore one area where the strategies of sustainable urban drainage development should be put into practice. Many existing urban drainage systems can cause problems of flooding, pollution or damage to the environment. Therefore when developing or redeveloping domestic, commercial or industrial  properties Sustainable Urban Drainage should be high of the agenda.