Question

Explain how replacing asphalt with gravel or other permeable material can improve water quality.
short paragraph

Answer 1

Replacing impermeable asphalt with gravel or other permeable materials lets rainwater soak into the ground instead of running off the surface, which reduces the volume and speed of stormwater entering drains and streams. As water infiltrates, the gravel and underlying soil trap sediments and filter out pollutants (oil, heavy metals, nutrients) and microbes, while soil biology further breaks down contaminants and helps recharge groundwater. The result is fewer pollutants and cooler, steadier flows reaching waterways, lowering erosion, flooding risk, and harm to aquatic life.