New York City is installing 7 miles of porous pavement in Brooklyn to manage stormwater, reduce flooding, and protect waterways. The $32.6 million project diverts rainwater away from sewers and prevents overflows. DEP and DDC spearhead the initiative to improve city infrastructure and curb environmental impact.
Photo courtesy of NYC Water
DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala was joined by DDC Commissioner Tom Foley and various Brooklyn elected officials on July 15 in the borough to announce the innovative project.
Work is currently under way to install 7 mi. of porous pavement along Brooklyn-area roadways in New York City to help better manage stormwater and reduce flooding and sewer overflows.
The city's Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is managing the $32.6 million contract, with construction anticipated to be finished in the fall of 2025.
The project was commissioned by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Porous pavement allows water to drain through it and be absorbed naturally into the ground, according to a news release from DEP. Strategic placement of porous pavement will keep 35 million gal. of stormwater out of the city's combined sewer system each year, DEP noted, while also helping to protect the health of New York Harbor.
DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala was joined by DDC Commissioner Tom Foley and various Brooklyn elected officials on July 15 in the borough to announce the innovative project.
"Climate change is bringing with it rainstorms that can overwhelm our sewers and cause flooding across the five boroughs, which is why we are investing in tools that will divert rainwater away from the sewer system, such as porous pavement," explained Aggarwala. "Brooklyn got hit particularly hard by Tropical Storm Ophelia last September and this new porous pavement will help to ease pressure on the sewer system and protect residents during future storms."
In his remarks, Foley said, "This is the biggest porous pavement installation this city has seen, and it will prevent millions of gallons of stormwater from overwhelming the sewer system annually. With this DDC design, we will implement porous pavement panels in precise areas, allowing for the absorption of stormwater, before they overwhelm catch basins. It will also save time and money, since porous pavement installations can prevent flooding without the need of going underground and expanding sewers."
City Benefits From Green Infrastructure Program
Across New York's five boroughs, roughly 7,500 mi. of sewers and 150,000 catch basins remain the backbone of the city's drainage system.
However, over the last decade, DEP has built the nation's largest green infrastructure program, which can intercept stormwater before it can drain into the sewers, thereby preserving some capacity in the system and help to prevent — or reduce — flooding, backups and overflows. Besides porous pavement, green infrastructure includes curbside rain gardens, permeable pavers, green or blue roofs and underground storage. To date, DEP has built more than 13,000 such installations, including more than 9,000 curbside rain gardens.
Unlike traditional asphalt paved roadways, porous pavement cuts down on the amount of stormwater that drains into the sewer system, which will help to prevent flooding, sewer backup into homes and businesses, and overflows into waterways, according to DEP.
Porous pavement is installed along the curb line of a street, where the stormwater typically drains towards a catch basin on the corner, and can withstand the weight of motor vehicles, including trucks.
New York City's DEP has piloted the use of several different types of porous pavement for a number of years in different boroughs, but the new Brooklyn project is the first large-scale implementation. Not every block is a suitable candidate for porous pavement installation due to other conflicts in the streets and sidewalks, such as sewer and water mains, and private infrastructure.
Prior to any construction, soil samples are taken from beneath the roadways that are under consideration to determine if the soil will absorb stormwater. Once a roadway is approved for pavement installation, the work includes removal of the existing roadway along the curb line to a depth of roughly 24 in. Drainage cells and stone are added to aid in storage and drainage of the stormwater as well as to provide structural support for the porous concrete slabs that are laid on top.
The DEP said that later this year, contracts are expected to get under way to bring porous pavement to other Brooklyn neighborhoods and communities in the Bronx. Additional contracts are currently in the planning stages for areas of Queens.
NYC Agencies Join Forces to Manage Water Systems
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection manages the metro area's water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gal. of high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.8 million in New York City.
The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 mi. from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 mi. of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring clean water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 mi. of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants.
DEP also has a robust capital program, with a planned $29 billion in investments over the next 10 years.
The NYC Department of Design and Construction is the city's primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor Eric Adams' long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity, and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs.
To manage this $28 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other municipal agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to New York's projects.
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