The Importance of Permeable Pavement Maintenance
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Collapse ▲Written by Amber Ellis – Extension Associate for NCSU’s Stormwater Engineering Research Group in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department
If you drive around Wilmington looking at parking lots and sidewalks, it won’t take long to find a patch of permeable pavement. As the name suggests, permeable pavement is designed to provide a smooth and strong paved surface while allowing rainfall to percolate through. This reduces stormwater runoff volumes and helps minimize erosion and pollution. Many areas within the Cape Fear region are particularly well-suited for permeable pavement, with the water quickly infiltrating through the underlying sandy coastal soils. However, there is an important caveat. While maintenance is a critical task for all infrastructure, it is especially important for permeable pavement.
There are several different types of permeable pavements, ranging from paver systems to pervious concrete. While each has a unique maintenance regimen, they all share the most common form of failure: clogging. The good news is that there are proven strategies to help reduce the risk of permeable pavement clogging. This is important because, for permeable pavement to be a successful stormwater control measure, it must stay absorbent.
The top clogging culprits are sediment and organic debris, so understanding the watershed is important to help prevent failure. Parking lots adjacent to bare soil, heavy tree cover, or large landscaping beds will clog more quickly because of the proximity of clogging materials. Properly managing these materials will lengthen the life of the permeable pavement. For example, maintenance staff should clear the surface of debris such as leaves, pollen, and grass clippings with portable blowers frequently to prevent buildup. Similarly, landscape staff should be instructed not to store materials such as mulch on the surface.
Even when all measures are taken to reduce clogging, regular surface cleaning is required to keep permeable pavements flowing. Vacuum sweeping with a vacuum truck is the most effective at removing sediment, but regularly street sweeping with a standard street sweeper is adequate for preventative maintenance. If you aren’t sure if your permeable pavement is working properly, simply observe it during a rainstorm. If it is functioning as intended, no water will remain on the surface of the pavement. If the water runs over the pavement or collects in puddles, as on traditional pavement, it’s likely clogged. In this case, contact a maintenance professional as remediation requires specialized equipment and knowledge.
You can find more information about permeable pavement types and maintenance in chapter C-5 of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Stormwater Design Manual. NC State Extension also offers stormwater inspection and maintenance workshops for industry professionals and property owners. These workshops cover maintenance protocols for all common stormwater control measures, including permeable pavement. Offerings are available in person and online.
Amber Ellis is an Extension Associate for NCSU’s Stormwater Engineering Research Group in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, with an office at the N.C. Cooperative Extension New Hanover County Center and Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Drive. You can reach her at adellis3@ncsu.edu for more information on permeable pavement and other stormwater control measure maintenance.