The Ecology Action Center (EAC), in partnership with the City of Bloomington, the Town of Normal, and McLean County, is inviting municipal workers, private snow removal and salting contractors, land owners, institutional facilities managers, and concerned citizens to attend a FREE Sensible Salting Workshop on October 22 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Normal Public Library.
This workshop will introduce the issue of sodium chloride pollution in McLean County and provide an overview of current best management practices that maintain safety on roadways, parking lots, and sidewalks while minimizing liability issues and impacts on local water and infrastructure. Registration is required at https://ecologyactioncenter.org/event/sensible-salting-workshop-2026. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided.
This workshop arrives just before the winter salting season, which will lead to an annual average of 10 million to 20 million tons of salt being used, according to the Izaak Walton League of America. The EAC’s education and outreach manager, Katie Vogler, says that “while road salt is essential for public safety and restoring road access in the winter, it produces environmental and infrastructural problems over time.”
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This is due to melted ice containing chloride from road salt flowing into storm drains, ultimately ending up in local waterways, groundwater, and in sources of drinking water. Over time, these chloride concentrations build up, impacting public health and the environment. A study from New York in 2019 showed that continued road salt use has contributed to widespread chloride contamination, with more than 50% of drinking water wells reportedly exceeding the EPA’s recommended chloride level of 250 mg/L. The consequences were costly, as one New York town spent 13.2 million dollars to address contaminated drinking water affecting 500 homes.
Since 2023, the Ecology Action Center has been testing sodium chloride concentrations at key locations along Sugar Creek in Bloomington-Normal. These tests show high levels of sodium chloride, sometimes even outside of the winter season. To learn more about sodium chloride pollution and ways that you can reduce your usage, attend the Sensible Salting Workshop or visit mCLEANwater.org.
The Ecology Action Center is the nonprofit environmental sustainability agency for Bloomington, Normal, and McLean County and provides clean water education and outreach to meet Illinois EPA MS4 permit requirements. Information on clean water programs such as the Yard Smart, rain barrel workshops, and rain gardens is available by calling 309-454-3169 or visiting the Ecology Action Center.
