Rainwater runoff from properties and roads is a major contributor to poor water quality in our aquifers and streams. The water picks up fertilizers, organic chemicals, debris, and other materials before entering the water table. LEED recognizes the importance of managing runoff from impermeable surfaces and awards credits for reducing runoff; for this project the local codes are even more strict, requiring that projects capture all of the runoff from the impermeable portions of the lot. Our civil engineer, DiPrete Engineering, has designed a complex storm water management system of two large drainage fields (one under the driveway, one in front) to help hold and then disperse the runoff from the roof, driveway, patio, and other surfaces.
In this photo the drainage system has been installed in a bed of gravel, and then it will be covered with more gravel and eventually the driveway surface.