Xeripave super pervious paver.
Historically, applications use pavers with pervious joints, porous asphalt or concrete to provide runoff infiltration to underlying porous, open-graded fill storage and native soils. Though effective, these options can be expensive, problematic and difficult to maintain.
However, due to the super porous nature of the Xeripave pavers, stormwater sheet flow from parking lots, roadways, and other impervious surfaces can be captured and transported to the underlying base of rock, which stores the volume of water and allows for slower infiltration into the underlying soils. For example, sheet flow from driveways and parking lots can be captured in a “strip drain” configuration, or runoff from sidewalks can be used to recharge water to street trees.
Washoe County Pilot Study
One of the more specifically engineered pervious paver applications was developed for the Washoe County (NV) Health Department. The County performed a two-year pilot program study on the use of pervious paver filtration trays installed inside catch basins, a design that allows stormwater to flow through while simultaneously catching 100 percent of particles larger than 600 microns. As an emergency precaution, the design includes an overflow valve in case of flooding.
The county found that the trays in the catch basins provided more than just stormwater filtration: they reduced the mosquito population by preventing access to standing, stagnant water at the bottom of the stormwater basin, a common mosquito breeding ground. As a result, these trays have become mandatory in new infrastructure construction projects not maintained by the county.
