Asphalt has been used for pavement installations for centuries. It is a durable material that can withstand a lot of wear and tear. Additionally, it is easy to install and relatively affordable compared to other materials. These characteristics make it one of the best options for road and parking lot pavement.
Asphalt is a popular choice among cities because it can handle heavy wear and tear such as in urban areas where there are many vehicles passing by. It also has low maintenance costs when compared to other materials such as concrete or brick pavers. Asphalt roads last an average of 15-20 years.
And in recent years, chemists and engineers have discovered that an asphalt pavement that is composed of 95% stone, 5% binder, and a petroleum product provides cleaner water.
But how is this possible? How do asphalt pavements help to keep the water clean? If you’re interested to know more, then we suggest you continue reading as we’re going to talk about this topic in today’s post.
Do Asphalt Pavements Contribute To Water Pollution?
There is some concern that asphalt pavements may pollute water. However, there is no evidence that this is the case. In fact, asphalt pavements may actually help to keep the water clean.
One of the benefits of asphalt pavements is that they are porous. This means that they allow water to seep through them, which helps to reduce flooding. Additionally, the porous nature of asphalt allows it to filter pollutants from the water. This helps to keep the water clean and safe for people and animals to drink.
A study performed several years ago in New Jersey found that asphalt was an effective filter. It trapped more than 90% of the pollutants and left clean water beneath the pavement. Asphalt pavements allow water to seep through them, which helps to reduce flooding. Additionally, they filter pollutants from the water and keep it clean and safe for people and animals to drink.
This is why more and more cities are choosing asphalt pavements as road and parking lot surfaces. They are easy to maintain and last for many years, which saves cities both time and money. In addition, asphalt pavements help to keep water clean by filtering pollutants from the water beneath them.
In What Ways Can Asphalt Pavements Produce Cleaner H2O?
1. Drinking Water – Today, asphalt materials are being used as liners in reservoirs for storing potable water in the state of California. In fact, Southern Cali’s Metropolitan Water District has been using these reservoirs with asphalt liner for 40 years now and the reservoir in Devil’s Canyon, which was constructed in 2011, has the same 19-inch asphalt liners to hold 800 acre-fee of drinking water.
2. Fish Hatcheries – While it’s true that fish fingerlings are sensitive to chemicals and water contamination, most hatcheries in the states of Oregon and Washington have already been using asphalt to line fish ponds since 1987.
And through the use of this material, the application of asphalt liners allows different species of fish to grow naturally while enabling hatchery owners to control and correctly monitor the incubation period of the fishes. And as a result, state agencies are now planning to use this type of liners in their future hatchery projects.
3. Industrial Ponds And Water Pipes – The by-product of asphalt cement is now being used to line major water pipes that provide safe drinking water to different areas in the country.
4. Retention Ponds – Finally, asphalt pavements are also being used as liners for retention ponds to prevent hazardous waste material from being absorbed into the ground and further causing harm to the natural water supplies of the surrounding areas.