New Eco-Friendly Pavers Are the Key to Ground and Storm Water Runoff Affecting Our Local Streams Rivers and Lakes

Jacksonville, FL, September 05, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Moderna Pavers of Jacksonville Beach together with the University of Florida and Paversystems instruct a class on installing the newest ecological interlocking pavements. These new pavers will be extensively tested to measure permeability and water quality as it absorbed into our local soil. Increasing water quality as it enters the St Johns river is key to the rivers healthy future. This permeable pavement site located in Hastings, FL, along with other sites near the St Johns were instrumented to determine runoff reduction performance. Most of the common pavement in developed areas leads to potential problems due to increased stormwater runoff and contaminant loads to receiving waters. With the assistance of the University of Florida, Paversystems - a Florida manufacturer of concrete interlocking pavers and Moderna Pavers - a Jacksonville based installation company have collaborated to produce and make available paving materials that can be used to locally infiltrate rainwater and reduce the runoff leaving a site. This can help to decrease downstream flooding, the frequency of combined sewer overflow (CSO) events, and the thermal pollution of sensitive waters. Use of these materials can also eliminate problems with standing water, provide for groundwater recharge, control erosion of streambeds and riverbanks, facilitate pollutant removal, and provide for a more aesthetically pleasing site. The effective imperviousness of any given project is reduced while land use is maximized. Alternative pavers can even eliminate the requirement for underground sewer pipes and conventional stormwater retention/detention systems. The drainage of paved areas and traffic surfaces by means of permeable systems is an important building block within an overall Low Impact Development scheme that seeks to achieve a stormwater management system close to natural conditions.

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