Changes

The two box plot figures to the right show combined stormwater effluent quality results from STEP monitoring projects conducted over a 12-year time period (between 2005 and 2017) at sites within Greater Toronto Area (GTA) municipalities.  Total Suspended Solid (TSS) effluent concentration results for permeable pavement practices represent the combined results from 4 sites in the GTA and a total of 296 monitored storm events.  Median TSS concentration was found to be 8.95 mg/L and exceeded the Canadian Water Quality Guideline of 30 mg/L (CCME, 2002<ref>Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). 2002. Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life: Total particulate matter. In: Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg</ref>) during only 12% of the 296 monitored storm events.  Median TP concentration was found to be 0.04 mg/L and exceeded the Ontario Provincial Water Quality Objective (PWQO) of 0.03 mg/L (OMOEE, 1994<ref>Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy (OMOEE), 1994. Policies, Guidelines and Provincial Water Quality Objectives of the Ministry of Environment and Energy. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Toronto, ON.</ref>) during 62% of monitored storm events, indicating that the design of stormwater management systems draining to phosphorus-limited receiving waterbodies should include practices to improve [[Phosphorus]] retention.  An example is including a media filter manufactured treatment device as part of the treatment train design.

The two box plot figures to the right show combined stormwater effluent quality results from STEP monitoring projects conducted over a 12-year time period (between 2005 and 2017) at sites within Greater Toronto Area (GTA) municipalities.  Total Suspended Solid (TSS) effluent concentration results for permeable pavement practices represent the combined results from 4 sites in the GTA and a total of 296 monitored storm events.  Median TSS concentration was found to be 8.95 mg/L and exceeded the Canadian Water Quality Guideline of 30 mg/L (CCME, 2002<ref>Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). 2002. Canadian water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life: Total particulate matter. In: Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg</ref>) during only 12% of the 296 monitored storm events.  Median TP concentration was found to be 0.04 mg/L and exceeded the Ontario Provincial Water Quality Objective (PWQO) of 0.03 mg/L (OMOEE, 1994<ref>Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy (OMOEE), 1994. Policies, Guidelines and Provincial Water Quality Objectives of the Ministry of Environment and Energy. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Toronto, ON.</ref>) during 62% of monitored storm events, indicating that the design of stormwater management systems draining to phosphorus-limited receiving waterbodies should include practices to improve [[Phosphorus]] retention.  An example is including a media filter manufactured treatment device as part of the treatment train design.

[[File:TP - permeable pavement.JPG|200px|thumb]]

[[File:TP - permeable pavement.JPG|200px|thumb]]

Another group of studies of permeable pavements examines the quality of water infiltrated through soils beneath the installations.  In these studies the quality of infiltrated water is used as a measure of the potential for contamination of groundwater.  One such study of a permeable interlocking concrete pavement installed in a college parking lot in King City, Ontario, showed that stormwater infiltrated through a 60 cm granular reservoir and 1 metre of native soil had significantly lower concentrations of several typical parking lot contaminants relative to runoff from an adjacent asphalt surface [https://sustainabletechnologies.ca/app/uploads/2013/03/PP_FactsheetSept2011-compressed.pdf/ (TRCA, 2008)].  These results are consistent with research on the quality of infiltrated water from permeable pavements in Washington<ref name="example2" /> and Pennsylvannia<ref name="example1" />.  As with all stormwater infiltration practices, risk of groundwater contamination from infiltration of runoff laden with road de-icing salt constituents (typically sodium and chloride) may be a concern in lands designated as source protection areas.  Chloride ions are extremely mobile in the soil and are readily transported by percolating water to aquifers.

Another group of studies of permeable pavements examines the quality of water infiltrated through soils beneath the installations.  In these studies the quality of infiltrated water is used as a measure of the potential for contamination of groundwater.  One such study of a permeable interlocking concrete pavement installed in a college parking lot in King City, Ontario, showed that stormwater infiltrated through a 60 cm granular reservoir and 1 metre of native soil had significantly lower concentrations of several typical parking lot contaminants relative to runoff from an adjacent asphalt surface [https://sustainabletechnologies.ca/app/uploads/2013/03/PP_FactsheetSept2011-compressed.pdf/ (TRCA, 2008)].  These results are consistent with research on the quality of infiltrated water from permeable pavements in Washington<ref name="example2" /> and Pennsylvannia<ref name="example1" />.  As with all stormwater infiltration practices, risk of groundwater contamination from infiltration of runoff laden with road de-icing salt constituents (typically sodium and chloride) may be a concern in lands designated as source protection areas.  Chloride ions are extremely mobile in the soil and are readily transported by percolating water to aquifers.