Water Pollution and Associated Effects from Street Salting

The bare pavement policy has resulted in a great increase in the use of deicing salts. They are more efficient and economical than abrasives. However, there is excessive application leading to environmental problems. Besides chemical melting, various methods for deicing exist. Some of these are stationary and mobile thermal melting units, alternate deicing compounds, snow adhesion reducing pavements, electromagnetic energy for ice shattering, and drainage systems designed to capture snowmelt for treatment or control. Salt storage facilities often become a major contributing source of local groundwater and surface water salt contamination. Coverage of salt piles is becoming chloride prevalent. High chloride concentration levels have been found in roadway runoff. The special additives in deicing salts may create more severe pollutional problems than the chloride salts.