The Clean Water Safe Roads campaign encourages responsible salt application practices for households, businesses and municipalities in the Adirondack region. Residents and visitors can learn about the ways road salt contaminates nearby water bodies, harm aquatic life, and damage cars, bridges, and drinking water.

“Our work to reduce road salt in the Adirondacks began over a decade ago,” said AdkAction Executive Director Sawyer Bailey. “We’ve made huge progress working with municipal leaders who have signed our Pledge to Reduce Road Salt and highway departments who have joined our Clean Water Safe Roads Network. But we know that there are many members of the general public who have not closely followed this issue, and we want to empower them to take action.”

AdkAction Project Coordinator Hannah Grall conducted focus groups and surveys this summer to find out what residents and visitors to the Adirondacks already know about the issue.

“While most respondents knew that road salt could negatively impact the water in lakes and streams, many were unaware that salt can leach into groundwater and affect the quality of drinking water,” she said. “We also found that there were common misconceptions about road salt vs. sand and the ways that municipalities can maintain safe winter driving conditions while reducing salt use.”

For more information, visit adkaction.org/salt, which provides access to campaign educational materials, best practices and guidelines for reducing salt usage during winter. Individuals and business owners can take a Clean Water Pledge, taking action to keep salt from contaminating water. Pledge participants will receive a “Clean Water Safe Roads” car magnet or sticker.

Municipalities can learn more about how their highway departments can join AdkAction’s Clean Water Safe Roads Network.

The Clean Water Safe Roads campaign is supported by the town of North Elba’s Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund, which is funded by occupancy tax revenue collected on all hotel, motel, bed and breakfast and vacation rental stays in Essex County.