One town’s Public Works Department searches for a better way to use salt in the winter.
Series Number 1.5
Length: 7 minutes 49 seconds
Languages: Subtitles available in English and Spanish. Press the CC button in the video player.
We’ve come to expect, during winter in New England, being able to get out and drive around, even in the middle of a snowstorm. Town and city DPW’s are using more and more road salt to keep us safe from ice and snow. But after a storm, that salt hasn’t disappeared. As the snow melts, the salt will be washed away and into our groundwater and soils. High levels of sodium chloride in the environment are dangerous to plants and animals, corrosive on our cars and infrastructure, and increase health risks to humans.
In this episode, Franklin, Massachusetts DPW director “Brutus” Cantoreggi describes how he has to manage both keeping the roads safe from ice and providing clean, salt-free drinking water to the residents. Highway Superintendent Carlos Rebelo describes the DPW’s efforts – technological, policy, and communal – to reduce how much salt they put down in the winter.
“… these films are exactly what lay people need to see — specific local problems and ways to mitigate them. An MVP study a few years ago identified heat islands in Plymouth, and last year we had an MVP grant to assess saltwater intrusion into our groundwater, which is our water supply. We found chloride levels in particular areas of town - mostly around major thoroughfares - are increasing, likely due to development and, specifically, to the use of road salts in the winter. So these are real local issues that people care about.Also, if your event is open to the public, we can post it on our events page if you like.Thank you for making these films.”
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