Overview and schedule of general maintenance activities for permeable pavement practices

Overview and schedule of general maintenance activities for permeable pavement practices
First Year of Operation
Activity	Frequency	Time Period	Level of Effort	O&M Benefit^a
Check pretreatment for proper flow/filtration. If applicable, assess the health of plantings and replant as necessary.	At least twice after storm events > 0.5 inches within 30 minutes of the event, then biannually	Within the first 6 months then during Spring / Fall	2 hours	1
Check that there is no ponding	At least twice after storm events > 0.5 inches within 30 minutes of the event	Within the first 6 months	2 hours	1
Check permeable parts of drainage area to make sure they are clean of debris and evidence of erosion	Biannually	All year long		1,5
Check for accumulation of sediment and organic debris on the permeable pavement surface.	Biannually	All year long		1,5
Check for damaged pavement	Biannually	All year long, especially after winter season		1,5
Replace any joint fill material, if applicable	Annually	As needed		1,5
Practice surface cleaning (vacuuming)	Biannually	Spring / Fall		1
Perform surface infiltration test	Biannually	After practice cleaning		1
Replace any joint fill material, if applicable	Annually	As needed		1,5
Clean underdrain	Biannually	Spring / Fall		1
Check pretreatment for proper flow/filtration. If applicable, assess the health of plantings and replant as necessary.	Biannually	Spring / Fall	2 hours	1
Check that there is no ponding	Biannually	All year long	2 hours	1

After First Year of Operation
Activity	Frequency	Time Period	Level of Effort per Visit	O&M Benefit^a
Check pretreatment for proper flow/filtration. If applicable, assess the health of plantings and replant as necessary.	Biannually	Spring / Fall	2 hours	1
Check that there is no ponding	Biannually	All year long	2 hours	1
Check permeable parts of drainage area to make sure they are clean of debris and evidence of erosion	Biannually	All year long		1,5
Check for accumulation of sediment and organic debris on the permeable pavement surface.	Biannually	All year long		1,5
Check for damaged pavement	Biannually	All year long, especially after winter season		1,5
Replace any joint fill material, if applicable	Annually	As needed		1,5
Practice surface cleaning (vacuuming)	Biannually	Spring / Fall		1
Perform surface infiltration test	Biannually	After practice cleaning		1
Perform surface infiltration test	Biannually	After practice cleaning		1
Clean underdrain	Biannually	Spring / Fall		1

After 5+ Years of Operation (non-routine maintenance)
Activity	Frequency	Time Period	Level of Effort per Visit	O&M Benefit^a
After long term operation of the practice, some occasional and infrequent maintenance activities might be required, such as bigger repairs, partial rehabilitation, or redesign of key elements of the practice.	As needed	As needed	Could be significant depending on the activity	1,5
^aKey to Maintenance Benefits: 1. Proper stormwater flow and infiltration 2. Creation and maintenance of wildlife habitat 3. Creation and maintenance of pollinator habitat 4. Nutrient cycling and storage 5. Aesthetics and public enjoyment 6. Carbon sequestration Note that many practitioners are minimizing the use of mulch or using alternatives to mulch to control weeds. Using mulch can cause clogging of inlet, outlet, and bypass pipes, and can introduce invasive species such as jump worms. Alternatives to mulch include ground vegetation such as clover or sedges, or arranging plantings in more dense configurations so as to minimize use of mulch.
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