Issue Brief: Road Salt Reduction

By Raquel Mack

The use of road salt to keep streets safe during winter storms has become an urgent environmental and public health concern. While salt is effective for melting ice and preventing dangerous driving conditions worldwide, including here in New York State, its overuse has significant public health and environmental consequences, especially regarding its impact on drinking water.

[We invite you to join us at noon on Thursday, October 30, for a Lunch & Learn event to explore how road salt pollution affects New York’s public health, environment, and infrastructure. RSVP here.]

When road salt, primarily sodium chloride, is applied in large amounts, it inevitably washes off into soil, streams, lakes, and groundwater. According to a joint report by the DEC and DOT, about half of the road salt used during winter runs off into surface waters through snowmelt and stormwater. This runoff can lead to elevated chloride levels in drinking water sources, posing serious risks to human health. People with high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney problems, and liver conditions are especially vulnerable to the effects of excess salt because it can exacerbate their health conditions (Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force, 2024).

Contaminated water threatens wildlife and aquatic ecosystems by disrupting the chemical balance of freshwater bodies, harming fish, amphibians, and plants. Across New York, growing evidence shows significant increases in chloride levels in streams and lakes across the region, sometimes exceeding thresholds considered safe for aquatic life (Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force, 2024).

Salt infiltration threatens urban areas as well. It accelerates the corrosion of roads, bridges, and vehicles, leading to costly repairs and reduced infrastructure lifespan for municipalities statewide (Adirondack Road Salt Reduction Task Force, 2024). These expenses ultimately fall on taxpayers and can limit investment in other community needs.

Currently, some towns, including North Salem and Hague, are piloting solutions by using brine, a liquid mixture of salt and water, that requires less salt without compromising safety on the roads. Statewide programs like the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program provide funding and technical support for communities working to reduce salt pollution.

Recognizing the scale of the problem, New York lawmakers have introduced bill S.6976A (Harckham) / A.4481A (Jones) to establish a statewide Road Salt Reduction Council and Advisory Committee to promote coordinated efforts and consistent policies across the state.

We invite you to join us at noon on Thursday, October 30, for a Lunch & Learn event to explore how road salt pollution affects New York’s public health, environment, and infrastructure. We’ll highlight successful reduction efforts and share information to help communities protect our natural resources while maintaining safe roads. RSVP here.