Treatment MeasuresPorous Paving : Maintenance & Costs

Maintenance

Concrete grid and modular plastic block pavers require less maintenance because they are not clogged by sediment as easily as asphalt porous paving. They are also easier to repair than asphalt porous paving. The performance and life of these pavements can be increased by regular vacuum sweeping or high pressure hosing (quarterly) to remove sediments.

As with traditional pavements, asphalt porous paving requires occasional resurfacing. Concrete grid and plastic modular blocks require a maintenance schedule similar to that for conventional road surfaces (that is, every seven to ten years). This involves retaining the pavers and replacing part of the sand layer to remove contaminants.

Indicative Water Quality Performance

The contaminant removal processes associated with porous pavements include adsorption, filtering, bio-reaction and microbial decomposition. If correctly designed and maintained, porous paving can retain up to*:

Studies show that porous paving facilitates microbial decontamination of oils and greases. The inclusion of sand filters and retention trenches with a geotextile fabric lining can create a very effective stormwater quality treatment chain.

* Figures quoted from Lower Hunter & Central Coast Regional Environmental Management Strategy (LHCC REMS), Fact Sheet No. 2.

Costs

Construction costs for porous paving are similar to that for traditional pavement, and are less than the cost of traditional paving when savings in stormwater infrastructure are considered. Research shows that porous paving, when installed as part of an integrated water cycle management system, can be up to three times less expensive than traditional road and stormwater management approaches.