Permeable pavement is a paving material specifically designed to allow water to pass through its surface into an underlying stone reservoir and eventually into the surrounding soil, rather than shedding water as runoff the way conventional solid pavement does, offering a genuine stormwater management benefit built directly into the paved surface itself.
Various permeable pavement types exist, including pervious concrete, porous asphalt, and permeable interlocking pavers, each achieving water infiltration through slightly different mechanisms but sharing the shared goal of reducing stormwater runoff at the source.
Because permeable pavement’s pores can become clogged with fine sediment over time, periodic maintenance, including vacuum sweeping for some pavement types, helps maintain the material’s intended infiltration capability throughout its service life.
What Types of Permeable Pavement Exist?
- Pervious concrete with interconnected void spaces
- Porous asphalt allowing water penetration
- Permeable interlocking pavers with gaps for infiltration
- An underlying stone reservoir storing infiltrating water
Why Is Permeable Pavement Important?
By reducing stormwater runoff directly at its source rather than requiring separate drainage infrastructure to manage water after it leaves an impervious surface, permeable pavement offers an elegant, integrated approach to stormwater management, particularly valuable for driveways, patios, and walkways where reducing runoff contributes to broader property and community drainage goals. This source-control approach has driven growing adoption in both residential and commercial applications.
Because clogged pores can significantly reduce permeable pavement’s effectiveness over time, understanding and committing to the specific maintenance requirements for a chosen pavement type matters for preserving this material’s intended long-term stormwater management benefit. This ongoing commitment ensures the pavement continues delivering its intended stormwater management benefit.
Permeable Pavement vs. Infiltration Trench
Permeable pavement integrates water infiltration directly into the surface material itself. An infiltration trench is a separate drainage structure managing runoff after it leaves an adjacent, typically impervious, paved surface.