WILTSHIRE Wildlife Trust has praised Wessex Water for an innovative solution to flooding in Hanging Langford, which also enhances the native wildlife in the area.

Surrounding villages had been previously prone to serious storm flooding but, as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Site of Special Scientific Interest, it was of environmental importance to find a solution that supported biodiversity and improved water quality, while relieving the flooding.

Wessex Water constructed a 2,000 square metre reed bed next to one of the nature reserve lakes to help naturally filter storm water before it reaches the river.

Ruth Barden, environment and catchment strategy manager at Wessex Water, said: “The reed bed has allows us to provide an cost effective andenvironmentally friendly solution to reduce the flood risk. Waste water can now enter the bed, be filtered through the reeds and gravel and be discharged without adversely impacting the environment or using any energy consumption whatsoever.”

The reed bed, which has been operational for the last three years, has been a working solution to flooding during some of the wettest winters as well as a benefit to river water quality by filtering out pollutants.

Gary Mantle, chief executive at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, added: “We have been working closely with Wessex Water to help manage the reed bed which has been a fantastic win for local biodiversity.

“The reed bed has provided a valuable habitat for a range of species such as dragonflies and warblers and has also enhanced other local wildlife. It’s been a great scheme to support as well as a value added contribution to our local ecology”.