Times are displayed in (UTC-05:00) Central Time (US & Canada)Change
Designing a Lower Salt Future
Chloride, found in road salt used to combat icy conditions, is a growing pollutant of concern across the snowbelt. This permanent pollutant contaminates drinking water, is toxic to aquatic life, affects lake turnover, reduces phosphorus removal in treatment ponds, ruins our infrastructure, and harms vegetation. Removal of chloride once it contaminates surface water is infeasible. Prevention is the key. In Minnesota and other states, we have worked to train thousands of winter maintenance professionals on salt reduction strategies and learned of the design challenges that require higher salt use. A significant driver of salt use is the meltwater sprawl and refreeze cycles. As our climate changes, so does the number of thaw/freeze cycles, influencing our need for salt. Winter weather offers many challenges but also provides a few key opportunities that can be harnessed to lower our salt use. In this presentation, attendees will learn about the chloride crisis, the challenges presented to winter maintenance operations, the chloride challenges for stormwater management, and the opportunities designers, architects, and planners have to change our designs for lower salt use and better winter performance.