A fresh snowfall means more road salt in our waterways, harming fish and other wildlife. It only takes one teaspoon of salt to permanently pollute 5 gallons of water. So, what can we do?
Damage to fish and wildlife is not all - excess road salt hurts our pets, plants and soil. It damages vehicles and roads. And remember, the damage is permanent: once salt has dissolved in water, it's always in the water.
The Village of Shorewood uses a salt management plan to help prevent excess salt from entering into our waterways. Please join in this effort while you protect your property by taking these steps:
- Shovel first. Clear as many surfaces as possible before ice forms.
- Only apply salt after the snow is cleared, and only to areas that are needed for safety. Make sure your salt is rated for the temperature. Some products stop working if the temperature is below -10 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Use only what is need for safety and to reduce the impacts to pets, plants and waterways. Sparingly distribute evenly and not in clumps. A 12-ounce coffee mug full of salt is all that is needed for a 500 square foot driveway (12 feet x 40 feet) or about 16 sidewalk slabs.
- Clean up excess salt to prevent it from getting into the soil and waterways.
- Spread the word to neighbors, friends and family too! We can easily protect our waterways together.
Learn more about how road salt threatens our waterways and salt monitoring from Milwaukee Riverkeeper.