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Salt: Resources

On this page:

  • Salt Home
  • Salt: Resources
  • Salt: Research
The resources below are categorized for groups interested in salt management:
 
  • Regulatory
  • Guidance and Tools
  • Winter Maintenance
  • Source Reduction Techniques

Regulatory Programs

State and tribal regulatory programs

State and Tribal Regulatory Programs are the foundation providing a legal framework to manage and reduce salt in the environment. States and Tribes have used a variety of approaches: variance, total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permits.

Title Keyword(s)
Ambient Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria for Chloride EPA, National, 304(a), Criteria
Illinois: Chloride TLWQS (Variance) for the Chicago Area Waterway System Illinois, Variance
Virginia: Chloride TMDLs for the Accotink Creek Watershed, Fairfax County, Virginia Virginia, TMDL
Wisconsin: Department of Natural Resources Variances Program Wisconsin, Variance
Minnesota: Chloride Management and MS4 permit Minnesota, MS4
Minnesota: Streamlined Chloride Variance Action Tree Minnesota, Variance
Minnesota: Statewide Chloride Resources Minnesota
Wisconsin: Recommendations for Pollutant Minimization Plans and Source Reduction Measures for Arsenic, Chloride, Copper, and Mercury Variances Wisconsin, Pollutant Minimization Plan, PMP
Winter Salts Maryland
Minnesota: Twin Cities Metro Area Chloride TMDL Minnesota, TMDL
Minnesota: Strategy for Municipal Chloride Reduction and Minimization Minnesota, Reduction Strategy

Guidance and Tools

Municipal building

There are ways to control salt that do not involve Clean Water Act regulatory tools. Workgroups, public outreach and education, municipal ordinances, and workgroups are just a few ways to reduce salt in the environment.

Title Keyword(s)
Wisconsin Salt Wise Wisconsin, Wisconsin Salt Wise
Izaak Walton League Citizen Monitoring
DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup Illinois, DuPage Salt Creek Workgroup
Maumee: In Support of Ohio's  Areas of Concern Document (pdf) (1,037 KB) Ohio, Framework, Great Lakes
Minnesota: Guide to Developing a Local Water Softener Rebate Program Minnesota, Water Softening
Minnesota:  Chloride Reduction Model Ordinance Language (pdf) (431.35 KB) Minnesota, Model Ordinance
Wisconsin: Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Chloride Reduction Wisconsin, Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District
Wisconsin: Household Door to Door Talking Points Wisconsin, Public Outreach
Wisconsin: Outreach Tools Wisconsin, Public Outreach
Illinois: Fact Sheet for Public Works Directors and Staff Chloride Usage Education and Reduction Program Illinois, Outreach to Technical Staff

Winter Maintenance

Truck plowing snow down street
Winter maintenance significantly contributes to salt in the environment. Salt is applied to roads, parking lots, trails, and sidewalks to melt snow and ice. However, best management practices and salt alternatives are available to ensure public safety while reducing salt in the environment.
Below are tools and information to help better manage salting during the winter season. Below are external tools and information that states and municipalities have used to manage salt during the winter season. Winter is Coming! And with it, tons of salt on our roads...
Title Keyword(s)
Wisconsin Salt Wise Wisconsin
Salt Management Strategy Toolkit Virginia
Green SnowPro Certification New Hampshire, Green SnowPro
Parking Lots and Sidewalks Illinois, Small Area Deicing
Brine Wisconsin, Brine
Snow and Ice Operations Guide Illinois, County, Winter Snow and Ice Operations
Limited Liability for Winter Maintenance Providers New Hampshire, Limited Liability
Model Snow and Ice Policies and Contracts Wisconsin, Policy Templates
University Salt Use Policy Wisconsin, University
Fact Sheet for Commercial Operators Chloride Usage Education and Reduction Program Illinois, County, Commercial Deicing
Wisconsin DOT Salt Brine Project Wisconsin, DOT, Brine
Strategies to Mitigate the Impacts of Chloride Roadway Deicers on the Natural Environment (2013) National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Mitigating Deicing
Toxicological Effects of Chloride Based Deicers in the Natural Environment (2014, Draft Final Report) (PDF) National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Toxicologically, Deicing
Guidelines for the Selection of Snow and Ice Control Materials to Mitigate Environmental Impacts (2007) National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Mitigating Deicing
Environmental Stewardship Practices, Procedures, and Policies for Highway Construction and Maintenance : Chapter 8 “Winter Operations and Salt, Sand, and Chemical Management” (2004) National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Sand, Salt, Chemicals
Statewide Salt Management Plan Maryland, Salt Management
Salt and Brine Storage Guide for Road Agency Maintenance and Other Facilities Michigan, Salt Storage;
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation: Desalination and Water Treatment Bureau of Reclamation, Management of Brackish Water
Connecticut: Green Snow Pro: Sustainable Winter Operations - A Guide for Municipalities Connecticut, Green Snow Pro, Municipalities
New Hampshire: Road Salt Reduction New Hampshire, Road Salt Reduction
Minnesota: Winter Maintenance Best Practices Minnesota, BMPs
Be Salt Smart at Home Illinois, Residential Salting

Notice: These tools were not created by EPA and have not been verified by EPA. This is a collection of potentially helpful resources; tools and information listed here are not endorsed by EPA.


Source Reduction Techniques

Wastewater treatment plant
Reduction techniques are one of the main methods to reduce salt in the environment. Below is a table with tools and information to help better manage salting reduction techniques. Keywords have been added to help filter the available resources.
Title Keyword(s)
ESRI Water Softener Screener Tool Wisconsin, Water Softening
A Review of Residential Water Softening Minnesota, Water Softening
Alternatives for Addressing Chloride in Wastewater Effluent Minnesota, Wastewater
Water Permit Holders and Chloride in Minnesota Minnesota, Permits
Residential Best Management Practices Virginia, BMPs, Winter Maintenance
The Skinny on Water Softeners Minnesota, Water Softening
Options for Homeowners to Assess and Reduce Water Softening Using Salt Wisconsin, Water Softening
The Real Costs of Salt Use for Winter Maintenance in the Twin Cities Metro Area Minnesota, Economics, Road Deicing
Winter Salt Watch Izaak Walton League, Citizen Science
Catalyzing Stakeholder-Driven Solutions to Inland Freshwater Salinization Virginia, Economics

Notice: This is a collection of potentially helpful resources; tools and information listed here are not endorsed by EPA.

Risk Assessment

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Last updated on October 21, 2024
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