What You Need To Know
- Over 60% of New York City is paved
- Climate change is making flooding more frequent
- Permeable pavement allows water to drain through it
- New laws require new and redevelopment properties to manage storm water
Flooding is a major issue for our city. Over 60% of it is paved. When rain falls onto pavement, it runs off instead of getting absorbed like it would on grass. The runoff causes flooding and can overwhelm the sewer system, backing up water into homes and polluting our local waters. This new permeable pavement seemed like a solution to the city’s flooding issues.
Permeable Pavement
On Monday, April 15, I made my way to T Mina Supply Company in Flushing, Queens. I was going to meet with the owner, Tom Mina, and Angela Licata the deputy commissioner for sustainability with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. We were going to talk about permeable pavement, and they were going to show me this flood busting technology in action. I was excited. They were going to take a fire hose and pour water on the permeable pavement to show me how it drains into the ground below it instead of running off and causing flooding.
When I pulled into the parking lot of this large supply company, I spotted the fire hose right away. I couldn’t wait to see the demonstration.
Before the DEP helpers were going to turn on the hose, I talked to the owner of the business, Tom Mina. He’s been at this location for about a decade, and there was persistent flooding in his parking lot. This lot also housed a lot of his supplies like pipes and sewer catches. When his lot flooded, he couldn’t access some of his materials, and it cost him time and money.
About 10 months ago, he had permeable pavement installed in the flood-prone areas. With permeable pavement, you don’t install it across an entire parking lot or road. You only install it where the water pools. The process includes tearing up the old pavement, digging down below it and installing gravel and sandy soil, and then covering the hole with the new permeable pavement.
This is pavement with tiny holes in it. The water drains through the hole and slowly disperses into the ground below it, instead of running off and causing sewer and flooding issues.
Green Infrastructure
Next, I got to interview Angela Licata, the deputy commissioner for sustainability with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. We talked about how flooding was a big issue for the city and how much it can impact our sewer system.
The NYC DEP has installed some of this new pavement in bike lanes, school playgrounds and parking areas in known flooding areas. Also, the DEP is encouraging businesses with large paved areas to reach out to them through their website. There is city funding available for new large projects. This could help businesses and, in turn, our sewer system, which gets overwhelmed during extreme rainfall.
Now, it was time for the big demonstration. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The signal was given, and the DEP workers turned the wrench on top of the fire hydrant, releasing water into the fire hose. It started as a small trickle but soon evolved in a gush of water. It was like magic. The water came out onto the permeable pavement and then simply drained through. My eyes and brain couldn’t quite make sense of it. I was impressed.
Conclusion
This flood-proof pavement is just one example of what green infrastructure is. Other examples include blue belts. Many of these are on Staten Island. These are when regular urban rainfall runoff is engineered to flow into existing waterways. The design of these systems mimic nature. These blue belt areas slow the flow of water, clean the water naturally and divert flood water away from neighborhoods.
FAQs
Q: What is permeable pavement?
A: Permeable pavement is a type of pavement that allows water to drain through it, instead of running off and causing flooding.
Q: Why is flooding a major issue in New York City?
A: Over 60% of New York City is paved, which means that rainwater runs off instead of being absorbed into the ground. This can overwhelm the sewer system, causing flooding and pollution.
Q: What is green infrastructure?
A: Green infrastructure refers to the use of natural systems and green technologies to manage stormwater runoff and mitigate the impacts of flooding.
Q: What are some examples of green infrastructure?
A: Some examples of green infrastructure include permeable pavement, blue belts, and the Lower Manhattan Resiliency project.
Q: What is the Lower Manhattan Resiliency project?
A: The Lower Manhattan Resiliency project is a $1.7 billion effort to limit storm surge and tidal flooding in Lower Manhattan. It involves ripping up existing parks, raising the land, and redesigning the areas to include rolling floodgates and new sea walls.
