Salt-Chloride Usage

WINTER IN MAINE
There's no way around it: Maine winters are harsh. The city, our residents, and our local businesses do all we can to keep roadways, sidewalks, parking lots and driveways clear of ice and snow. 

Salt improves winter road conditions, but can harm ecosystems. Keeping roads and parking areas free of ice and snow is essential. However, road salt – one of the main tools used to achieve this task – contains chloride as its main ingredient. And chloride negatively impacts local lakes and rivers. Other minor ingredients of commercial road salt include arsenic and cyanide.

As snow and ice melt, they drain into landscaped areas and storm drains, then to natural bodies of water. Waters from deiced areas contains high levels of chlorides, which do not degrade, and there is no cost-effective way to remove it. Excessive levels of chlorides can severely impair the ability of plants to absorb water and nutrients. These negative effects are common to both aquatic and terrestrial plants in residential gardens, landscaped areas, and rivers. Fish and other aquatic organisms are then impacted by the decline in habitat.

Using less salt in general can help reduce chloride levels and help the community – environmentally and financially. Auburn Public Works uses the following best management practices to reduce salt usage:

* Defining a level of service through operational guidelines and a winter operations program
* Preparedness through pre- & post-storm meetings
* Plowing just before salting prevents the application of salt on heavy snow
* Automatic Vehicle Location that helps optimize plow routes and adjust application rates
* Careful selection of treatment product - salt/sand/liquid calcium/salt brine
* Efficient material spreading equipment and equipment calibration
* Temperature sensors to measure pavement surface temperature
* Proper salt and sand storage and handling
* Responsibly rinsing and washing equipment and vehicles
* Effective snow pile placement to avoid discharge of pollutants to surface/ground water

HOUSEHOLD USE OF SALT
Residents are reminded to shovel first and salt smart. The right amount of salt will keep your sidewalks, steps and driveway clear AND help protect our lakes, streams & drinking water.

Salt smart strategies:
* Clear walkways & other areas before the snow turns to ice. The more snow you remove manually, the less salt you will have to use and the more effective it will be.
* If you use salt, scatter it so that there is *space between the grains.* A coffee mug of salt is enough to treat an entire 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares! And remember, when pavement temps drop below 15 degrees, salt won't work. Switch to sand for traction.

Shovel first salt last 2025

COMMERCIAL USE OF SALT/CHLORIDE
Commercial property owners, managers and maintenance teams can help protect our environment while also getting the job done. Auburn Public Works is careful with road salt/calcium usage during winter storms...we encourage your team to "attack the snow like a pro" as well!

Download our Chloride Usage Fact Sheet
Learn how to properly calibrate your commercial salt spreader

Road salt and deicers have a harmful impact on local water bodies when they melt and are carried into the storm drain. Reduce the use of salt and melting agents by applying them sparingly and storing them properly.

  • Buy the least toxic agents and follow proper applications rates based on current and predicted weather.

  • Pretreat with brine or wet product to help it stick to the pavement.

  • Remove snow by plowing, snow blowing, and shoveling instead of removing it with product.

  • Keep stored salt and sand covered.

  • Store plowed snow in low areas away from storm drains and waterways.

  • Sweep up excess sand and salt whenever pavement is clear of snow and ice to reuse as needed.

  • Ensure staff are properly trained, and consider including requirements for staff training in winter maintenance contracts.

  • Prioritize applications of chemicals in the most used areas, and consider not treating or closing less used areas in winter.






Some resources on this page courtesy of Wisconsin Salt Wise and Think Blue Maine.