Paved Paradise
By Matt Mulford, Pavestone
Photos courtesy of Pavestone Company.
When you hear the word pavement, you think parking lot. You think, bad for the environment. What if I told you about a hardscape solution which offers excellent durability and also helps our environment?
Conventional paving does not allow precipitation to seep back into the soil under driving surfaces, while ecologically oriented permeable (perm) pavers are designed to allow water to flow between the pavers into an engineered support system. This system allows rainfall to infiltrate the soil and/or controls the rate of flow into local storm water systems. Although this drainage system is the basic premise of perm pavers, it also offers many other advantages. One feature is the unique way perm paver systems help clean the water. Water that flows out of the paver system is cleaner than the runoff that flows into the system.
The perm paver system cleans water through silt reduction. Rainwater often contains sediment called TSS (Total Suspended Solids) which causes rivers to become murky. Concentrations of TSS increase as the water flows downstream. As runoff flows between the pavers, TSS is captured in the aggregate between the pavers, reducing TSS accumulation in creeks and rivers. Scheduled cleaning of the pavers will maintain the flow rate through this dynamic system.
Not only does this system help with silt reduction, but quality of water is benefited by perm pavers in other ways. Micro-biological activity in the paver's aggregate support system naturally consumes oils and petroleum in water flowing through the permeable paver support system. Again, the water exiting the system is much cleaner than the runoff entering the system. Micro-biological activity is naturally established, but you can help jump-start this beneficial process by pouring enzymes into the perm paver system. Enzymes are available from your local hardware store. This cleaning benefit helps reduce the accumulation of pollutants as the river flows downstream.
The perm paver system cools and oxygenates water that passes through it. Water temperatures entering the storm management system or rivers from the perm paver system are considerably cooler than conventional runoff, helping to maintain desired water temperatures for aquatic life. Aquatic life additionally benefits by the water being “oxygenated” (oxygen being placed into the water), just as boulders interrupting river flow place more oxygen into the water.
Permeable paver systems not only positively benefit our ecology, but they are a very durable and usable surface for both walking and driving areas. Once the project is engineered and installed, these surfaces will be a long lasting and attractive addition to your landscape. To help insure a long lasting project, pavers with at least four built-in locking bars per side are a feature you will want. These multiple locking bars are offered on the highest quality perm pavers by select manufacturers.
Most manufacturers of perm pavers design their paver to be compliant with the American Disability Act (ADA) which mandates construction practices to make structures easily accessible for the handicapped. Check with your supplier to make sure their perm pavers are ADA compliant.
Using porous pavements earns points toward LEED certification. Your local government recognizes the positive aspects these pavers offer and rewards their use in ecologically oriented projects.
Building codes often mandate flood water retention areas on commercial projects. These ponds hold excess water in heavy rain situations. Such unusable areas can be costly, unattractive, and have apparent liabilities. Perm pavers can reduce or totally eliminate the need for traditional flood water retention areas.
Your walking and driving areas used to be part of the problem. Now hardscapes can recharge groundwater, filter and reduce pollutants, cool runoff to streams and keep aquatic habitat healthier. Look at the alternative surfaces and decide which one works best for your project. 
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