Permeable Pavers
What are permeable pavers?
Permeable pavers are interlocking concrete pavers that provide a solid ground surface, strong enough to take heavy loads, such as large vehicles, while at the same time allowing water to filter through the gaps between the pavers and reach the underlying soils or water retention systems. The use of these materials can also eliminate problems with standing water, provide for groundwater recharge, control erosion of streambeds and riverbanks, facilitate pollution removal, and provide for a more aesthetically pleasing site. The effective imperviousness of any given project is reduced while land use is maximized.
In areas that are developed and have incurred a lot of paving over the natural grounds, such as; roads, pavements, streets and parking lots, rainwater is transported to sewer drains and back into the environment. Pollutants and other contaminants are thus picked up by the rainwater and reintroduced into the ground water and soils. Permeable paver applications can significantly reduce the surface runoff loads of such contaminants as nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, phosphorus, metals, and ammonium.
Permeable pavers can even eliminate the requirement for underground sewer pipes and conventional storm water retention / detention systems. This unique benefit provides the developer and homeowner alike to increase the usable land once limited by the need for retention ponds and other water control methods.
What can I do with the water that has been reintroduced into the ground?
Water retention systems, such as those offered by Rehbein , store water beneath the surface of the ground, making the water readily available for irrigation needs. Reusing rainwater with underground retention systems can reduce water usage by 50-85%.
Benefits of Permeable Pavers
- A wide variety of color and style options can be arranged in a broad array of patterns,
- No long-term maintenance issues,
- Increased usable land,
- Conservation of water by reusing rainwater that would normally by lost to sewer drains,
- Eco-friendly systems greatly reduce the chances of harmful contaminants entering the groundwater and surrounding soils.
Links - Permeable Pavers
Rehbein Environmental Solutions - www.resisolutions.com - RESI Brochure (large file size)
Borgert Products - www.borgertproducts.com
