Despite half century campaign, salt continues to threaten Madison lakes, drinking water


Despite half century campaign, salt continues to threaten Madison lakes, drinking water


When Charlie Romines took over as Madison’s superintendent of streets in 2018, the first thing then-mayor Paul Soglin wanted to talk about was how the city could use less road salt. The same thing happened the following year when Satya Rhodes-Conway took over as mayor.

And yet, Romines gets more calls than he can count from people complaining the roads are too icy.

So it goes with the city’s nearly half-century effort to protect its lakes and groundwater from chloride contamination while also keeping residents safe through Wisconsin winters.

“It makes for a tightrope walk,” Romines said...

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Road salt is often thought of as an ‘environmentally safe’ chemical. However, at high concentrations, chloride can alter aquatic ecosystems by stressing freshwater species, and deteriorate drinking water sources. For 70+ years, we have applied road salt to paved surfaces, without any regard for the environmental consequences. This talk will focus on long-term chloride trends and the state our lakes in Wisconsin with regard to chloride contamination. Linnea will identify what lakes are at risk, and what is currently being done locally in Wisconsin to curtail further environmental damage....

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Ken Notes: As a Mayor in 2000 I tried to reduce salt use, my phone started ringing almost immediately after the first snowfall and did not stop. I do like the cheese brine use - at least this is using a product that would be in the system anyway... Good luck all...

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- - Volume: 9 - WEEK: 2 Date: 1/4/2021 12:03:48 PM -