Water Resources Board approves permeable paving, pilot testing and contract amendments; several task orders authorized

The Water Resources Board approved a package of funding and contract items including $373,580.60 to support permeable paving at Old Port Park, a partial refund tied to a sewer-easement abandonment, and several consultant task orders and a pilot program to study emerging contaminants.

Board members voted to join a stormwater participation request to cover the cost difference between traditional asphalt and a permeable paving system at Old Port Park, a request staff said would reduce impervious surface area and runoff to nearby waterways. “We’re requesting approval for that difference in the construction. It would be, $373,580.60,” said Josh, a staff member presenting the request.

The board also approved abandoning roughly 0.246 acres of a previously purchased permanent sewer easement conditioned on the developer reimbursing the department roughly $4,268 to recoup about half of the original $9,194 purchase, staff said.

The board authorized amendment 1 to a previously…