Where Pervious Concrete is Being UsedWhile pervious concrete pavements may be new to some areas of the country, Florida and other southeastern states have been installing them since the 1970s to control runoff, erosion, and flooding. Florida has been a leader in the construction of pavements using pervious concrete, according to the Florida Concrete & Products Association. Hundreds of projects have been completed statewide, with many pavements in service for more than 10 years. More recently, pervious concrete has been embraced by the West Coast for its environmental benefits. For example, pervious concrete is helping communities in California and Washington restore groundwater supplies and reduce pollution of coastal waters, which can endanger fragile aquatic ecosystems and even swimmers. In a study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, contaminated runoff has been linked with waterborne illnesses in surfers in urban areas. In the Pacific Northwest, most of the annual precipitation comes from rainfall events of less than an inch. A stormwater management system using pervious concrete can be very effective at reducing total runoff and increasing the amount of filtered groundwater, according to Glacier Northwest, the area's largest concrete supplier. "It's a great system in that it provides both day-to-day mitigation as well as catastrophic containment," says Andy Youngs, a technical representative with the California Nevada Cement Promotion Council and a specialist in stormwater management. "With the change in EPA stormwater runoff regulations, pervious concrete has really come into play because of its use in controlling pollution. In California, the concrete industry knew about pervious concrete, but didn't understand the fit and what a great product it is. It took some time to get everyone onboard, but now we're starting to hit critical mass and see the use of pervious concrete explode." In California, pervious concrete is primarily being used to pave parking lots, says Youngs. But he notes that its also becoming a practical alternative for subdivision streets, sidewalks, and golf cart paths. More homeowners are using pervious concrete as well, to eliminate puddling, prevent erosion, and save the expense of tying into local storm sewer systems. Typical applications include driveways, walkways, pool decks, and patios. Below are links to projects across the country that have used pervious concrete for purposes ranging from controlling water runoff, to protecting sensitive fish habitats, to irrigating land.
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