Towns weigh in on road salt and its environmental effects

DUTCHESS COUNTY —  Since the 1930s, road salt—or sodium chloride, also known as table salt—has been applied to winter roads. In the 1970s, it became clear that this practice was having harmful effects on the environment and the infrastructure of roads.     

Road salt is used because it is a cheap and effective way to make roads safe during winter storms. Salt lowers the freezing point of water and prevents snow from turning to ice and melts ice on the roads. Many alternatives to salt exist but can be more expensive.

According to the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, “salt applied to the roads washes into freshwaters” and “threatens to harm aquatic life and contaminate wells and reservoirs” by raising the salinity of the water. Of particular concern are zooplankton, which are at the base of the food chain in lakes and other waters.

Virginia Kelly, also of the Cary Institute and one of the authors of the report “Road Salt: The Problem, The Solution, and How to Get There,” cautions, “No matter what, action is needed now because ecosystems won’t recover right away.”

The Cary Institute’s report on road salt states that high salinity “can inhibit spring turnover — the natural cycling of water caused by temperature changes in the lake. This process facilitates aeration and helps maintain oxygen levels needed to support aquatic life.” Salt can also interact with soil, rocks and pipes and cause them to release lead and other contaminants.

The Environmental Protection Agency cautions that when salinity rises in drinking water it can cause health problems for those with high blood pressure.

In the Village of Millbrook, the Cary Institute found that 90% of the salt found in Wappingers Creek was from road salt. It found, in samples taken from 1986 to 2017, that sodium levels were higher in summer than winter.

It is theorized that this comes from “highly concentrated ground water,” which happens when the salt sinks into the soil. Even if measures to reduce salt were put into effect now, it would take decades for salt levels to decrease.

The Cary Institute’s report and organizations such as Clear Roads have suggested ways to reduce salt use. Their list begins with anti-icing, which consists of precoating the roads before storms with a 23% brine solution. This can save up to 75% in applied salt.

Another option is prewetting the salt. This causes the salt to stick better and reduces salt getting into watersheds by 5%. Also recommended are calibrating equipment to measure more exactly the amount of salt applied, completely enclosing salt piles, cleaning up any spills, and recycling any water that is used to wash trucks and equipment. Listening to weather and road conditions to decide how to treat the roads is another recommendation.

Carl Baden, highway superintendent for Pine Plains, said that the mild winter in Dutchess County last year reduced salt use. He monitors the weather and plans according to temperatures and what kind of storm is predicted. The town uses salt and sand. If temperatures are going to dip below a certain point, calcium chloride, a liquid, is used on the roads. Baden uses it as little as possible, and said sand is good on spots where ice will not melt quickly, like shady areas.

Bob Collocola, highway supervisor in Millbrook, also checks forecasts to plan for storms. He makes sure all the trucks and plows are ready and in good working order before storms. A mixture of sand and salt is used, which lowers the amount of salt used, Collocola said.

Amenia highway Superintendent Megan Chamberlin agrees that it is important to make sure all trucks and plows are ready. She keeps a close eye on weather forecasts and plans according to the storm and temperature predictions. Amenia uses sand and salt.

In North East, Robert Stevens, the superintendent there, said he plans according to forecasts. Knowing the type of storms and temperatures helps with planning how to cope with each storm. He said that North East does not use calcium chloride.

Pine Plains, Millbrook, Amenia, and North East do not use brine coating due to the higher cost. All four stressed that they put the safety of the public first.