Part 2

Considering a new driveway, patio or walkway?  Go permeable, cool it off and help our water!

Are you replacing your driveway, sidewalk or patio?  Choose surfaces that don’t get so hot and help stormwater and fish at the same time!  So many green options are available when replacing impenetrable surfaces such as asphalt and cement.

What’s wrong with asphalt?  Four things: One: It absorbs a lot of heat which then also heats up the surrounding area.

Two: It can buckle in the heat. Three: It releases oils and directs other pollutants to storm sewers which mostly flow to Joseph Creek (in Cranbrook), Mark Creek and Cow Creek (in Kimberley), both of which flow into the St. Mary’s River, which harms our water quality and fish.

Four: It prevents the penetration of rainwater so in extreme rain events it causes stormwater to collect in low lying areas and in storm sewers which get overloaded and can cause manholes to pop.  This is very dangerous to drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

With no way for the water to seep into the ground, the overflow adds volume to creeks, which go over their banks, and can result in homes being flooded.

Using water permeable surfaces, like bricks, gravel, and permeable pavement allows water to filter into the ground, replenishing the aquifers and water table rather than being channeled into streams without the filtering effect of going through the ground.  Permeable surfaces allow the soil to filter the water of many toxins helping protect water quality.  There are so many important reasons to choose permeable surfaces.

In the past, there was less knowledge and less asphalt and concrete, but now we know better.  Choose permeable surfaces when replacing patios, driveways and pathways.

Read Part one.

Photo submitted

Submitted by East Kootenay Climate Hub

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