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Parking lots have certain characteristics that set them apart from roadways in terms of their engineering and operating requirements. First of all, they often cover large contiguous areas with impermeable paving surface. This means that virtually all of the precipitation that falls becomes runoff, which must be handled in an environmentally appropriate manner. Parking lots also tend to be subject to contamination with pollutants such as motor oil or other automotive fluids. The parking lot must be built to effectively channel and collect runoff, which is often shunted directly into storm sewers, streams, or even sanitary sewers. However, most large municipalities now require retention basins to catch runoff to reduce the stress on sewer and drainage systems.
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