Stop Road Salt Entering Freshwater

MADISON, Wis. (CIVIC MEDIA) – Winter Salt Awareness Week ends the month of January with experts speaking truth on corrosion and damage to our infrastructure.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Wisconsin Salt Wise invite the public to learn more about the impacts of road salt on our drinking water and freshwater ecosystems.

Winter Salt Awareness Week runs January 27th through the 31st. It will include a series of YouTube livestreams featuring speakers and topics focused on the true impacts of salt and ways to be a freshwater advocate.

Speakers include Abby Hileman from Izaak Walton League of America, Jess Hua at University of Wisconsin-Madison, public works professionals from across the country and a panel of experts providing salting policy perspectives from New Hampshire, Ohio and Minnesota.

Register in advance!

Or watch afterward on the Wisconsin Salt Wise YouTube Channel.

The Impacts Of Too Much Salt

Although salt keeps Wisconsin roads safe during winter, using more salt than needed comes at a price. In Wisconsin and much of the U.S., chlorides from salt are infiltrating lakes, streams and groundwater. According to Wisconsin Salt Wise, one teaspoon of salt is all it takes to make five gallons of water toxic for freshwater organisms.

The DNR measures chloride levels in Wisconsin rivers over time. Recent studies have shown a steep increase in chloride loads. In the early 2000s, the DNR measured about 600,000 tons of chlorides annually. By 2018, that number increased to nearly 800,000 tons per year. Fifty rivers and streams and one lake in Wisconsin have been designated as impaired by high chloride concentrations, primarily from salt used during winter.

“All 43 of the long-term trend water quality monitoring sites across Wisconsin are showing increases in chlorides,” said Shannon Haydin, DNR Storm Water Section Manager. “Chlorides persist in the environment forever and cause significant impacts to fish, aquatic life and human health. In Wisconsin we are seeing evidence of Fresh Water Salinization Syndrome which is a condition where our freshwater becomes more like ocean water in terms of its saltiness. Now is the time to make a change and reduce salt use when we can.”

These increased chloride loads are partly due to road salting, but chlorides also enter Wisconsin waters because of water softeners and fertilizers. Find out if your softener is salt wise with this diagnostic tool.

Increased chloride levels have significant impacts on our daily lives, including environmental and economic effects. Nationwide, winter salt causes $5 billion in damage to infrastructure each year, causing corrosion of bridges, roads and other infrastructure. Road salt can also impact pets by causing irritated paws or other health concerns if ingested.

In Wisconsin, 39% of the community wells exceeded the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ recommended sodium level for individuals on a low-salt diet of 20 mg/L at least once since 2004. This can mean individuals managing diseases by limiting salt intake may take in more salt than they may be accounting for.

Salt Tips For Wisconsin Residents

Reducing salt use is critical to decreasing chloride loads. Follow these steps to right-size your salt use:

• Shovel: Clear walkways and other areas before the snow turns to ice. The more snow removed manually, the less salt you will need and the more effective it will be.
• Scatter: When using salt, scatter it so there is space between the grains. A 12-ounce coffee mug of salt is enough to treat an entire 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares. If you see oversalting, Wisconsin Salt Wise offers some simple steps to help educate others about salt.
• Switch: Salt is much less effective when pavement temperatures drop below 15 degrees. Switch to sand for traction or a different ice melter that works at lower temperatures.

Statewide Reduction Efforts

The DNR works to reduce chlorides at the source through permitting programs for municipalities and industries. These measures include tuning or replacing water softeners, identifying significant chloride contributors and finding reductions, process efficiencies or improvements by instituting sewer use ordinances.

Additionally, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation works with Wisconsin counties to reduce road salt application using brine and pre-wetting road surfaces, significantly reducing salt use.

For more information on the DNR’s efforts to monitor chlorides and reduce their effects, visit the DNR’s Salt and Storm Water webpage.