Salt Management

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child holding up snow shovel

It's time for a salting shift

Waterloo Region relies on groundwater for drinking water. Over time the salt - including ice melters labelled as environmentally friendly - we put on the ground can end up in our drinking water and cause it to taste salty.

After the salt melts the ice, it doesn't go away. Salt is damaging to the environment including our community's drinking water. It may soak into the ground to mix with groundwater (our drinking water) or enter a storm basin that connects with the local waterway.

Click on image to download PDF version.

Help keep salt out of groundwater:

What to do with your leftover salt at the end of winter
Snow and ice clearing tips for homeowners
Winter maintenance resources for commercial properties
Wear winter boots with a good tread and consider installing winter tires on your car
Read the I Am Groundwater blog "six mistruths about winter salt"

Why salt is a water quality concern

Chloride levels from salt and ice melter are increasing in groundwater wells (our drinking water). Overtime this could make our drinking water taste salty.
Chloride is highly soluble. Once it dissolves in water there's really no effective way to remove it. Current water and wastewater treatment does not remove chloride from the water.
The image below compares chloride levels in Region of Waterloo municipal groundwater wells between 1998 and 2018. Red coloured dots represent wells with the highest chloride levels of 400+ milligrams per litre. A salty taste is detectable when chloride levels reach 250 milligrams per litre.

Water quality (chloride) at Region of Waterloo well fields between 1973 and 2014

What the Region of Waterloo is doing

On the roads
- I Am Groundwater blog "Balancing winter road safety with the environmental impacts of salt and ice melters" outlines actions to manage salt use on roads
- The Region of Waterloo Transportation Operations follows a comprehensive salt management plan
On our properties
- Only hire Smart About Salt certified contractors with salt management training
- Region of Waterloo winter maintenance staff receive Smart About Salt training
Through our water protection programs
- Monitor water quality of municipal drinking water sources
- Educate youth through school presentations and support of the Waterloo Wellington Children's Groundwater Festival
- Work with partners to improve salting practices including through Source Water Protecting Plan policies
- Support the Smart About Salt training and certification program

Blog posts about salt management

Research projects and studies

Snow and Ice Control for Parking Lots and Sidewalks, University of Waterloo

Addresses the common question winter maintenance contractors face each winter: what are the right snow and ice control methods, materials, and amounts of material that should be applied under specific winter weather conditions?

Evaluation of Organic Anti-icing Materials for Winter Maintenance, University of Waterloo
- Evaluates and compares the capacity of three organic and semi-organic anti-icing liquids and conventional sodium chloride brine to improve pavement friction relative to an untreated control
Specifying Salt Management Best Practices in Parking Lot Winter Maintenance Contracts, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
- Provides guidance on how to develop parking lot snow and ice management contracts that encourage the use of best practices for salt management established by Environment Canada and other organizations such as the Transportation Association of Canada.
Friction and Parking Lots, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
- Friction testing show us that bare pavement is safest, as it has the highest friction value, and that the over-application of salt does not translate to safer conditions. The takeaway from this is that if you achieve bare pavement in a reasonable amount of time with little to no residual salt, you applied the right amount.

In the news

NSF, April 2021: Road salts are threatening world's freshwater supplies
Water Canada, April 2021: Study Shows Winter Road Salt Poses Year-Round Threat to Aquatic Life
CBC, March 2021: Road salt levels in some local creeks toxic to aquatic life, says riverkeeper
University of Waterloo, February 2021: Sustainability Theme of the Month: Salt Management
Kitchener Today, October 2020: Region to spend similar amount on road salt this winter
Binghamton University News, February 2020: Road salt harmful to native amphibians, new research shows
CBC News, January 2020: Salty dragonflies mean more mosquitoes, researchers find
The Weather Network, December 2019: Why road salt can be ineffective against removing snow and ice
CBC News, January 2019: For the good of the planet, can we curb our addiction to road salt
Waterloo Region Record, November 2018: Chloride levels are rising in Waterloo Region drinking water
570 News, November 2019: Why Ontario needs a new approach to snow removal (starts at 21:30)
National Post, January 2018: How Canada's addiction to salt is ruining everything
TVO, January 2018: Oversalted: why Ontario needs a new approach to snow removal
WWF, January 2018: Wildlife is dying due to road salt, and it must stop
Water Canada, January 2017: Has road salt run its course?
Waterloo Region Record, December 2017: new campaign aims to raise awareness about winter salt use