A reduction in potable water demand in buildings could be made by using non-potable\nwater for certain uses, such as flushing toilets. This represents a sustainable strategy that results\nin potable water savings while also using an underutilised resource. This work assesses the use of\npermeable interlocking concrete pavement to filter stormwater that could be used for non-potable\npurposes in buildings. Two pavement model systems were tested. One of the model systems presents\na filter course layer with coarse sand and the other model system has no filter course layer. In\norder to evaluate the filtering capacity, the model systems were exposed to rain events. The amount\nof water infiltrated through the layers was measured to represent the potential quantity available\nfor use. Stormwater runoff samples were collected from a parking lot paved with impermeable\ninterlocked blocks and then, these were tested in both model systems. Water samples were subjected\nto quality tests according to the parameters recommended by the Brazilian NationalWater Agency.\nThe model system with no filter course showed filtering capacity higher (88.1%) than the one with\na filter course layer (78.8%). The model system with a filter course layer was able to reduce fecal\ncoliforms (54.7%), total suspended solids (62.5%), biochemical oxygen demand (78.8%), and total\nphosphorus concentrations (55.6%). Biochemical oxygen demand (42.4%) and total phosphorus\nconcentrations (44.4%) increased in the model system with no filter course layer. In conclusion, one\ncan state that the filter course layer used in permeable interlocking concrete pavement can contribute\nto decreasing pollutants and can improve stormwater quality. The use of permeable interlocking\nconcrete pavement showed to be a potential alternative for filtering stormwater prior to subsequent\ntreatment for non-potable uses in buildings.
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