Porous Pavements For Flood Control And Water Re-Use: Recent Developments

A number of research projects, commencing in 1990, have been undertaken at Coventry University and in other institutions, studying both the hydrology and water quality aspects of permeable pavement constructions, particularly applied to parking surfaces. This paper will briefly consider the merits of local infiltration of over both separate and combined sewage systems, the use of porous pavements for this purpose and the use of such systems in new developments as well as in pavement replacement.

Results will be reported showing how the system can act as both an efficient trap for oils dripping from parked cars and a biodegradation system to allow in situ biodegradation of mineral oils. The oil-sorptive capacities of the system compared to traditional parking surfaces such as concrete and asphalt will be demonstrated and an up to date picture of the state of development and research will be presented. The attempts being made to use molecular biology to obtain a fundamental understanding of the microbiology of the system under study at Coventry will be reported.