Snow brings hazardous traveling conditions. Fortunately, snow and ice control can be accomplished in a manner that both ensures public safety and protects local water quality!

Winter salt and deicers are common water pollutants. Once extracted from the earth and connected with water, chlorides are nearly impossible to remove with only one tsp of road salt needed to permanently pollute 5 gallons of freshwater.

In spring, salt will move with snowmelt down storm drains and into the nearest bodies of freshwater causing a variety of environmental and economic issues. High salinity in freshwater is toxic to aquatic life, birds, and other organisms that make up important parts of the food chain. Additionally, communities pay in damage to local infrastructure and equipment, loss of benefits associated with water recreation activities, and more importantly, health problems in humans and animals who require freshwater to survive.

Wisconsin resides near Lake Michigan, one of the largest and only bodies of freshwater in the world. Those who utilize and impact this critical freshwater resource has the inherited responsibility to protect it from pollutants.

Ice & Snow Control Tips

• Shovel often and early. Prevent the bond between snow and pavement to eliminate the need for deicers.

• Use the correct amount: One 12-oz cup of salt will melt a 20 ft driveway or 10 sidewalk squares with 3 inches between crystals. More salt will NOT make ice melt faster. It will only move away from your targeted area and can negatively affect nearby vegetation and lawns. 

• Read labels. If temperatures dip below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, road salt doesn’t work. Use sand or birdseed for traction or an alternative product effective at colder temperatures.

• Think traction, not perfection! The goal is public safety. Use traction cleats on shoes, sand in small amounts, or bird seed on heavily used areas.

• Sweep up excess salt or sand. Save money AND protect freshwater!

• Close off unneeded/unused walkways to save time, money and effort.

• Use the right technique: Salt is not effective on thick ice. Use a heavy ice chopper on ice 1/2 inch thick or more.

• Hire qualified contractors who use salt sparingly, offer alternatives, and perform manual labor to reduce ice formation. The overuse of deicers only increases costs for winter maintenance services.

• Water softeners are a major contributor of salt to freshwater. Keep up with maintenance to maintain maximum efficiency. Learn more at WI Salt Wise.