The use of road salt and brine during winter storms is imperative for public safety. Sodium and chloride, however, can run off into surface waters such as reservoirs and rivers that serve as sources of drinking water. The Department of Environmental Protection provides the following guidance to assist municipalities in best management practices when applying these materials and in keeping roadways safe and clear.

Road salting events can impact source waters. As sodium and chloride are secondary drinking water standards, these levels do not pose a health risk for most people; however, those on sodium-restricted diets should consult their physicians with any concerns. The DEP and their partners have implemented initiatives designed to monitoring and reduce the impacts of road salts.

• NJ Salt Watch, funded by DEP and launched by The Watershed Institute, is part of a statewide effort to encourage the public to learn about local environmental health through water quality monitoring. The data helps identify pollution hot spots as well as healthy streams so we can make informed decisions and the DEP, individuals, and municipalities can implement actions that will reduce water pollution.
• Winter Best Practices to Reduce Road Salt Impacts, is designed to aid Public Works Departments with practical strategies to lessen their impact on freshwaters while maintaining public safety.
• Sustainable Jersey assists municipalities in understanding the amount of salts that are applied to roadways and provides guidance on how to use monitoring, education, training and implementation of best management practices to safely reduce the amount used over time.
  • A Best Management Practices for “Winter Best Practices to Reduce Road Salt Impacts” is available here: pdf
  • A resource for municipalities to gauge their practices is available here: Actions – Sustainable Jersey