Rainwater harvesting retrofit saved Exmouth school 50,000 litres, SDS said

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Exmouth reused around 50,000 litres of rainwater in 3 months following commissioning of an SDS upgrade in June 2026, the company said.

Water Resources DeskWater companies, regulation and rainwater harvesting.17 Oct 2026

Engineer inspecting rainwater harvesting pipework and a monitoring panel in a school plant room

Key facts

1SDS said St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Exmouth saved approximately 50,000 litres of mains water in 3 months.
2The retrofit retained the school’s existing 14,000-litre underground rainwater tank, according to SDS.
3SDS said the original system stopped working in 2020 and remained unused because funding was unavailable.
4Loft-mounted break tanks keep toilets operational during pump faults, power interruptions or depleted rainwater storage, SDS said.
5SDS said real-time monitoring allows pupils and staff to track rainwater reuse.

What happened

SDS installed a rainwater harvesting upgrade at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Exmouth in April 2026, bringing an idle system back into service, the company said in its 23 September announcement.

The company said the project reduced the school’s operating costs as well as its demand for mains water. Its announcement did not give a contract value, a monetary saving or a payback period for the work.

Dr Neil Sewell, director of new technology services at SDS, said keeping the toilets available was a priority for the school following its previous experience of system failures. He said the design was intended to give the school confidence in the supply while providing performance data.

SDS identified its SYMBiotIC technology as the monitoring platform used in the upgrade. Sewell said making the benefits of rainwater harvesting visible was part of the brief, rather than reducing consumption alone.

According to SDS, the installation also provides material for teaching about the water cycle, conservation and responsible resource use. Sewell said the school could use the system’s data to connect water reuse with classroom learning.

The background

A South West Water grant supported the installation of the school’s original system in 2018, according to SDS. That installation used 2 pressurised pumps to distribute collected rainwater to toilets across the school.

SDS said the school’s multi-academy trust worked with the local education authority to examine upgrade options before appointing the company. They sought a less costly route than replacing the complete installation.

The condition of the buried storage asset supported that approach: SDS described the existing tank as being in excellent condition. The company’s appointment was to modernise the infrastructure around it.

Sewell presented the retrofit as an example of recovering value from infrastructure that had fallen into disrepair. He said targeted upgrades could provide a modern system at a relatively low cost, although the announcement did not quantify the difference between refurbishment and replacement at St Joseph’s.

What people are saying

SDS said the upgrade’s intelligent monitoring was intended to improve the rainwater reuse system’s resilience during extreme weather. Its announcement did not provide results from testing under those conditions.

Sewell was the only person quoted in the company’s announcement; it included no direct comment from the school, its multi-academy trust or the local education authority.

Timeline

2018
A South West Water grant funded the original system, which supplied rainwater to school toilets, according to SDS.
2020
The rainwater harvesting system failed, SDS said; a lack of funding prevented its return to service for several years.
April 2026
SDS said the upgraded equipment was installed, retaining the underground tank and adding monitoring technology and loft-mounted break tanks.
June 2026
The upgraded system was commissioned, according to SDS.
23 September 2026
SDS reported that the school had reused approximately 50,000 litres of rainwater since commissioning.

Why this matters

For drainage professionals assessing dormant rainwater systems, SDS director of new technology services Dr Neil Sewell said the project demonstrated that upgrading existing infrastructure can avoid full replacement at relatively low cost. He said the school also needed confidence that toilets would remain operational after its previous system failures. The source provided no project cost or quantified financial return, limiting assessment of the retrofit’s economics.

Frequently asked questions

How much water did the Exmouth school rainwater system save?

SDS said St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School saved approximately 50,000 litres of mains water over 3 months by using harvested rainwater.

Why had the school’s rainwater harvesting system stopped being used?

The system stopped working in 2020 and remained out of service because funding was unavailable, according to SDS. The company did not identify the original fault.

Did the retrofit require a new underground rainwater tank?

No. SDS said it retained the existing 14,000-litre underground tank because its condition allowed continued use.

How do the toilets work if the rainwater tank runs dry?

SDS said new break tanks above the toilet blocks provide automatic failover if stored rainwater runs out. The company said they also maintain toilet operation during pump faults or power interruptions.

Who arranged the school’s rainwater harvesting upgrade?

According to SDS, the school’s multi-academy trust worked with the local education authority to explore alternatives to full replacement, then appointed SDS to upgrade the existing infrastructure.

What does the rainwater monitoring system show?

SDS said its SYMBiotIC monitoring technology shows how much rainwater is being reused. Pupils and staff can follow usage in real time to support lessons on the water cycle and responsible water use.

How much did the school save on water bills?

SDS said the upgrade helped lower operating costs but gave no monetary saving or project cost.

SuDS

SuDS and rainwater reuse backed by water minister in Commons debate

Water Minister Emma Hardy backed sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and rainwater harvesting during a Commons water management debate, Flood Industry reported on 1 October 2026.

16 Oct 2026