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Events- October 2018

GreenTown is happening in Joliet on October 26th: https://www.greentownconference.com/ ISAWWA Water Efficiency Committee is hosting a half day seminar (for Edu credit) on the latest in Water Loss Control – will include an update from IDNR as well as case studies and a panel discussion from location communities and how they are tackling their non-revenue… Read more »

Industrial Water- Future of Brine Management

Manufacturing requires mineral free water in various stages the production process.  Many industrial areas are able to dispose of the brine from softening water in to the sewer systems. These levels of salinated water discharge are poised to be restricted due to their irreversible environmental damaging properties.  Water Tech Online states ” The produced brine has… Read more »

DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup Newsletter

Congratulations to the National APWA Excellence in Snow & Ice Award Winner The Village of Buffalo Grove! The newsletter details what and how they achieved such an industry prestigious award. “After their annual review, the Village of Buffalo Grove Public Works Department revised their winter maintenance plan for 2014 – 2015 to achieve the highest… Read more »

What is The REAL Cost of Salt Use for Deicing?

This presentation created by Carolyn Dindorf-Fortin Consulting, Inc. for the Road Salt Symposium 2015, details the REAL cost of road salt usage for snow and ice control. The study adds up all the possible secondary costs of salt and the damage it may cause. For every ton of salt applied to city roads, it can cost… Read more »

Salt: Less Is More. Chlorides Workshop- Schaumburg, IL

May 1st the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District or Greater Chicago will be hosting a Chlorides Workshop. They will be discussing best management practices, brine application and brine making. Join other municipalities in taking action to reduce chloride pollution. WHEN: Tuesday, May 1, 2018 – 9:00am to 11:30am WHERE: Egan WRP, 550 S. Meacham Rd., Schaumburg,… Read more »

Road Salt and the Salinization of Lakes

The awareness of chloride contamination in our natural waterways is growing exponentially! Unfortunately so are the amounts of chlorides in our waterways. Extrapolating that finding for all of North America, at least 7,770 lakes are at risk of elevated salt levels — a likely underestimate, the researchers said. We need a grassroots movement to educate… Read more »

Preventing Chloride Damage To Your Landscape

Snow and Ice management costs money to keep your patrons, residents and clients properties safe. Aside from the costs associated with ice melt and snow removal there are hidden costs. One potential big expense we see often is vegetation damage from salt, ice melt applications and snow melt runoff. There are procedures you can follow… Read more »

Application Rates Based On Temperature

Packaged ice melt generally has a “works to” temperature written on the bag. While bulk salt doesn’t have a label, anyone in the industry knows that bulk rock salt will melt to, at best, +5°F. Do you need the same amount of salt per area to melt ice at +25°F that you would for +5°F?… Read more »

How To Properly Store Your Salt Stockpile

By the time salt is spread on roads, it can already be millions of years old. Thankfully for motorists and snow removal companies, intact salt never loses its ability to melt ice, which means salt does not have to be used immediately. Salt that has been stored is just as effective as the salt that… Read more »

Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance Manual 2010

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Fortin Consulting, Inc., and University of Minnesota, among numerous other contributors have compiled a huge amount of research outlining the most effective ways to maintain parking lots and sidewalks in the winter. Also, the manual shares numerous environmental impact reduction tips AND cost-saving tips. The most impactful parts of the… Read more »

Ice Melters and the Environment

Leanr How to use less rock salt

This study is authored by Scott Koefod, Ph.D. Cargill Deicing Technology, June 22, 2012, Titled “Ice Melters and the Environment”. The topics covered are as follows; Introduction to the basics of environmental impact, Overview of the environmental effects of the common deicers and additives, Strategies to minimize environmental impact, New developments in deicer research. This was… Read more »