Did you know that almost all of the salt we apply to pavement ends up in our water? In fact, just one teaspoon of salt permanently pollutes five gallons of water. Excessive road salt use damages infrastructure and threatens the health of our lakes, streams & drinking water.
Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District is joining other Northeast Ohio partners to promote Winter Salt Awareness Week (Monday, January 27 – Friday, January 31, 2025). This collaboration across the United States and Canada raises salt pollution awareness, provides resources, and promotes salt reduction solutions. Learn more and register for the daily livestreams about the environmental toll of deicers, salts in our drinking water, actions that municipalities are taking, and how residents can get involved by visiting https://wintersaltweek.org/.
Contrary to public perception, using more salt than is necessary doesn’t actually make our roads or sidewalks safer. Excess salt does, however, prematurely age infrastructure and damage freshwater resources. Townships, villages, and municipalities across the state are dialing in salt use through improved mechanical removal, calibration, and the precision application of deicers. By focusing on first removing as much snow as possible, and then right-sizing salt applications, residents and businesses can cut down how much we spend on salt, protect our freshwater lakes and rivers, and keep pavements safe. Armed with knowledge, shovels, and a warm beverage, Winter Salt Awareness Week is our time to commit to sensible salting for the safety of both our roadways and waterways.
