A Health Department maintenance crew member discusses anti-icing
equipment on a truck with workshop participants.
E
very winter government entities and
private contractors throughout the county
use salt to maintain roads and parking
lots. While this deicing method helps
improve public safety, if over applied, salt has longterm negative impacts on the environment. Salt
contains pollutants such as chloride that are getting
into lakes, streams and water wells.
Over the past 15 years, scientists have seen an
increase in the chloride levels of surface waters of
Lake County. The salt that drains into the lakes can
accumulate over time and negatively impact aquatic
organisms. This can lead to changes in aquatic
species, such as shifts to salt-tolerant plants and
algae species. Salt can even inundate shallow
drinking water wells.
A local initiative is in place to expand the use of
non-toxic alternatives to deicing salt compounds. A
partnership of Lake County agencies comprised of
the Health Department, the Department of Public
Works, Stormwater Management Commission, and
the Division of Transportation holds annual
workshops to train people to use non-toxic
alternatives to deicing salt compounds. The
workshops are for private contractors and others
responsible for winter maintenance. Over a
five-year period, more than 750 people have been
trained, including 130 trained last year.
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