Monday, January 23 – Friday, January 27
Daily livestreams 12:30 – 1:00 PM
The Wisconsin Salt Wise Partnership is gearing up to host the 2023 WI Salt Awareness Week! This webinar event will spotlight chloride (road salt chemical compound) threats to WI rivers, lakes, and drinking water. The WI Salt Wise Partnership is a coalition of organizations across the state that work together to educate the public about chloride pollution in freshwater. Salt applied to sidewalks, roads, and parking lots eventually makes its way to WI waterways, which is causing freshwater salinization syndrome. This means that WI waterways are less and less fresh each year. Just a teaspoon of salt can permanently pollute five gallons of water!
Wisconsin Salt Awareness Week aims to educate citizens on the issue of chloride pollution including the environmental toll of deicers, salts in our drinking water, actions the Wisconsin DNR is planning, and how residents can get involved. Speakers include Sujay Kaushal (University of Maryland), Charlie Paradis (University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee), Allison Couture (UW Health), Shannon Haydin (Wisconsin DNR), and Allison Madison (WI Salt Wise). Speakers will stream live over YouTube from 12:30 – 1:00 PM, Monday through Friday (Jan. 23-27) to share their knowledge and field questions.
Lisa DeGuire, City of Superior Water Resources Coordinator, said, “Working for the Environmental Services Division, we have a very important role to play in protecting Superior’s water resources. We want people to use the right road treatment, in the right amount for the given conditions. The goal with ‘smart salting’ is to find that balance between public safety and water quality, and ultimately minimize the negative impacts of oversalting.”
Like the City of Superior, dozens of Wisconsin municipalities are striving to improve their winter maintenance programs and slow down the salting of our lakes, streams, and drinking water. Superior has implemented smart salting practices such as equipment calibration, salt brine application, and annual operator trainings.
Many citizens, however, are not aware of the negative impacts road salt has on freshwater and their ecosystems. It’s for this reason that the WI Salt Wise Partnership is hosting “WI Salt Awareness Week”, a free educational experience focused on reducing road salt pollution. Join the event by registering at the WI Salt Wise website and learn more about the organization’s opportunities and educational materials available by visiting www.wisaltwise.com.
For more information, contact Megan Högfeldt at hogfeldtm@ci.superior.wi.us, (715) 394-0392.