Protecting Drinking Water: It’s the Season for Salt!

This winter, Conservation Ontario (CO) along with local source protection authorities and regions, have launched a 15-week public information campaign about how to Salt Responsibly.  

New education tools include social media posts and an online mapping application about the impacts of road salt across Ontario. In addition, a Salt Responsibly Sticker campaign was developed by CO and a small working group. These stickers will be placed on salt bins located within drinking water protection zones to help reduce risk, and keep drinking water safe and clean. 

“We aim to raise awareness about the impacts of road salt on municipal sources of drinking water and promote best management practices around the storage and application of salt. We know it can be a tricky balance when salt is a critical component of winter safety in our communities and on our roadways,” said Katie Ebel, Source Protection Policy and Risk Management Advisor with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA).  

Road salt enters the environment in several ways. Snow gets plowed to the road shoulder and the resulting melted water along with dissolved salt either infiltrates through soil into the groundwater or runs off into drains, creeks, or stormwater management facilities. Eventually, these chemicals enter the natural water system, including drinking water source protection vulnerable areas (i.e., municipal drinking water wells and surface water intakes) which can impact our drinking water sources.  

Climate change is resulting in more extreme weather patterns that may result in an increased use of winter maintenance chemicals. Now more than ever, we need to be aware of how salt impacts the safety of our drinking water.  

Protecting Ontario’s water sources is a critical step in bringing safe municipal drinking water to Ontario residents. Remember, your actions matter! 

Contact: Katie Ebel, Source Protection Policy and Risk Management Advisor