Be Salt Wise in Winter

Be Salt Wise in the winter

Most people know that salt is effective in melting snow and ice and keeps our roadways safe in the winter. But many people may not realize that the salt we use on sidewalks, driveways and roads is harmful to the environment. Salt doesn’t just go away when the snow/ice melts. It seeps into the ground and wells, and travels with stormwater into streams and eventually into our drinking water sources – the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers.

WSSC Water closely monitors the water entering our Patuxent and Potomac Water Filtration Plants and we’ve noticed that over the last 30 years, the average salt levels (sodium and chloride are the two components of salt) have been steadily increasing. The levels peak in the winter months and are higher in years that see more winter weather events. Once sodium or chloride enters our drinking water sources, we cannot remove it during the water filtration process.

Damage Salt Causes

• Harms aquatic animals and plants in local streams
• Pollutes soil and water
• Damages buildings
• Corrodes vehicles, pavement and water mains
• Corrosion of water mains can lead to an increase in water main breaks and cause discolored water

What is the impact on human health?

Sodium in drinking water is not a health concern for most of us, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends sodium in drinking water be less than 20 milligrams per liter for those on severely restricted sodium diets. We recommend you talk to your doctor if you have medical conditions sensitive to sodium levels, such as high blood pressure or kidney disease.

Do your part to keep excess salt out of local waterways

Salt Summit Documents

Salt Summit 2025

• 2024 Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection Conductivity Monitoring Presentation (PDF, 8.83 MB)
• Climate Change, Freshwater Salinization Syndrome, and the Search for a Cure Presentation (PDF, 6.87 MB)
• Developing Priority Areas for Sources of Drinking Water Presentation (PDF, 722 KB)
• DMV Salt Outreach Workgroup Collaboration and Connection Presentation (PDF, 11.1 MB)
• The Economics of Best Practice Implementation Presentation (PDF, 1.41 MB)
• Introducing the Low Salt, No Salt Minnesota Program Presentation (PDF, 1.91 MB)
• Smart Salting Enhanced Winter Maintenance Training Program Presentation (PDF, 3.31 MB)
• 2025 Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection Conductivity Monitoring Presentation (PDF, 8.84 MB)
• Green Snow Pro The New Hampshire Experience Presentation (PDF, 6.42 MB)
• NJ Salt Watch Engaging Volunteer Scientists in Monitoring Road Salt Impacts Presentation (PDF, 3.19 MB)
• Northern Virginia Winter Salt Management Strategy (SaMS) Program Presentation (PDF, 1.43 MB)
• WSSC Water’s Fifth Annual Salt Summit Agenda (PDF, 219 KB)
• WSSC Water’s Salt Summit 2025 Presentation Summary Document (PDF, 193 KB)

Salt Summit 2024

• Salt Summit 2024 Salt Outreach Workgroup Updates Presentation (PDF, 2.75 MB)
• Gaining Traction on Road Salt Reduction Presentation (PDF, 5.21 MB)
• Developing Priority Areas for Sources of Drinking Water Presentation (PDF, 1.07 MB)
• Salt Watch Izaak Walton League of America Presentation (PDF, 13.7 MB)
• Extreme Events Alter the Future of Freshwater Salinization Syndrome Presentation (PDF, 3.97 MB)
• Are Over-Salted Parking Lots a Problem? Estimating Chloride Loads from Roads and Parking Areas in the Potomac River Basin Presentation (PDF, 5.39 MB)
• Patuxent Reservoirs Conductivity Monitoring Presentation (PDF, 1.02 MB)
• Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection Conductivity Monitoring Presentation (PDF, 4.82 MB)
• MWCOG Salt Application Area Assessment Presentation (PDF, 1.36 MB)
• Developing Priority Areas for Sources of Drinking Water Presentation (PDF, 1.07 MB)
• Salts in Drinking Water Health Considerations Presentation (PDF, 1.01 MB)
• Salinization of Streamwater in Exurban and Suburban Watersheds of Southeastern Pennsylvania, 1999-2019 Presentation (PDF, 1.62 MB)
• Maryland’s SMART Salt Program Presentation (PDF, 1.61 MB)
• WSSC Water’s Fourth Annual Salt Summit Agenda (PDF, 213 KB)
• WSSC Water Salt Summit 2024 Meeting Summary (PDF, 208 KB)

Salt Summit 2023

• 2023 WSSC Water Salt Summit Presentation (PDF, 1.65 MB)
• Montgomery County MS4 Permit Update Winter Weather Presentation (PDF, 1.75 MB)
• Innovation at WSSC Water Presentation (PDF, 1.10 MB)
• Embracing Regional Collaboration for Salting Awareness Presentation (PDF, 5.46 MB)
• Policies For Salt Management WSSC Water Salt Summit Presentation (PDF, 944 KB)
• MD Smart Salt Program Updates Presentation
• Clear Roads Presentation (PDF, 334 KB)
• Salt Management Strategy (SaMS) Addressing Chloride Pollution from Winter Salts in Northern Virginia Presentation (PDF, 3.18 MB)
• Fairfax County Embraces Northern Virginia Salt Management Strategy (SaMS) – Progress Update Presentation (PDF, 2.84 MB)
• Salt Summit 2023 Agenda (PNG, 23.4 KB)

Salt Summit 2019

• Road Salt Contamination in Groundwater and Surface Water in the Maryland Piedmont Presentation (PDF, 2.65 MB)
• Northern Virginia Salt Management Strategy Presentation (PDF, 170 KB)
• Freshwater Salinization Syndrome: Diagnosing Water Quality Impacts Presentation (PDF, 2.30 MB)
• Salt Summit 2019 Presentation (PDF, 685 KB)
• 2019 WSSC Water Salt Summit Agenda (PDF, 154 KB)
• WSSC Water’s 2019 Salt Summit Meeting Summary (PDF, 168 KB)

Salt Summit 2018

• MDE Road Salt Activities Water and Science Administration Presentation (PDF, 475 KB)
• Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration Presentation (PDF, 2.54 MB) 
• 2018 Salt Summit Presentation (PDF, 1.67 MB)