New “Thirsty” Concrete May Eventually Stop Floods

A new water-absorbent concrete may help cities hit hard by storms prevent flooding and save lives. This new pavement created by Tarmac is called Topmix Permeable and it absorbs 880 gallons of water per-minute and then re-directs it into a city’s drainage system. This high-tech “thirsty concrete” can also save countless lives by preventing car accidents on slick roads. Previously, there have been similar systems for sidewalk drainage but Tarmac is the first company to create a surface strong enough to stand up to the wear and tear on busy city streets.

The top layer is a concrete-like surface made with pebbles that allows water to drain through almost instantly, keeping the surface almost completely dry. The second or “attenuation” layer re-directs the water to a drainage system allowing it to flow into a city’s water supply. After the water enters the city system it can be filtered and used for drinking, plumbing, and firefighting. The one catch is that the system does not work in extreme cold where water can freeze and stop the system in its tracks.