News
Permeable Paving and Water Awareness Arrives in Ventura, CA
Ventura County Star — August 27, 2016
The city of Ventura celebrated its first “green street” this month and the patrons of this city could not be happier. According to Environmental Services Manager Joe Yahner, the permeable paving technology put into place will become a model for California oceanside cities. The green street has permeable concrete gutters which allow water to be absorbed into the hard paved surface instead of running into storm drains that filter into the ocean.
The hard surface is made of bio-retention cells that are dug 5” deep filled with gravel. Water goes down into the soil through the plant roots and gravel which allows for a gradual recharge of the ground water. This process helps capture the water and reduces pollution in the ocean water meaning ocean water will become safer from heavy metals, bacteria and chemicals. This is good news for beach enthusiast’s who enjoy swimming, surfing and having fun in the ocean water.
The city of Ventura has been working hard to promote ecologically friendly practices that allow residents to collect water which is vital in a time of drought throughout the state of California. Citizens of Ventura have been diligently working to find ways to trap water so it can be reused for fertilization and not get sent to the ocean. This will not only will help the community but also help in reducing pollution. The implementation of Ventura’s green street is paving the way for all cities and states facing drought related problems.
