Reduction of Environmental Impacts Due to Using Permeable Pavements to Harvest Stormwater

Lucas Niehuns Antunes,Vernon R Phoenix,Christopher White,Liseane Padilha Thives,Calum Sydney,Enedir Ghisi,Emmanuelle Stefânia Holdefer Garcia

doi:10.3390/w12102840

Lucas Niehuns Antunes, Vernon R Phoenix + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/w12102840

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Abstract

While rainwater harvesting can provide additional water resources, this approach is largely undertaken using water from roofs. More recently, the potential for using stormwater harvested from permeable pavements was recognised as a potential additional water resource. The objective of this study was to estimate the reduction of environmental impacts caused by traditional drainage systems and centralised water utilities if permeable pavement systems were used to harvest stormwater for nonpotable purposes in buildings. The lifecycle environmental impacts and costs associated with the proposed pavements and hydraulic systems were assessed. The city of Glasgow was chosen as a case study. We used the Netuno computer programme to estimate the potential for potable water savings considering the use of stormwater for nonpotable purposes and the SimaPro software to perform a lifecycle assessment (LCA). With the implementation of permeable pavements and stormwater utilisation, great reductions in lifecycle emissions (i.e., CO2-, SO2-, and PM2.5-equivalent emissions) were observed. The proposed system also proved to be economically feasible, i.e., a payback period equal to 16.9 years. The results show the economic and environmental feasibility of permeable pavements when used on a large scale, proving to be an important strategy to reduce water and environmental stresses caused by centralised water utilities and traditional drainage systems.

Highlights

Rapid urbanisation has led to a considerable increase in impermeable surfaces, such as roads and roofs, significantly changing the natural hydrological cycle in urban centres [1]
Designsize linked to a single water storage tank in order to compare the We considered theHydraulic optimal cluster lifecycle environmental impacts between the proposed system
The lifecycle environmental impacts and costs associated with the permeable pavements and hydraulic systems proposed were assessed to determine the reduction of environmental impacts from the current traditional drainage system and centralised water utility

Summary

Introduction

Rapid urbanisation has led to a considerable increase in impermeable surfaces, such as roads and roofs, significantly changing the natural hydrological cycle in urban centres [1]. Traditional drainage systems, which carry stormwater runoff quickly to a stream by piped systems, cause increases in runoff volume, peak flow, and pollutants taken to rivers [2]. During peak flow, combined sewer networks can be overwhelmed and flood, releasing harmful pollutants into the environment. With this situation, some problems arise with climate change. SUDS are a source control of stormwater runoff by using infiltration and storage in situ to reduce runoff discharge. Treating water locally and reducing the possibility of overloading stormwater

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