De-Icing Materials

Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership

The Urban Issues Workgroup has made the impact of roadway salts and de-icers on drinking water sources a priority issue. The workgroup has prepared a list of resources on roadway and airport deicing activities. This includes information for professionals and the public interested in de-icing operations, their impacts, and measures to reduce winter-weather related chemical usage.

Va. DEQ Salt Management Strategy

Many DWSPP member organizations were part of the large and diverse group of stakeholders active in the development of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)  Salt Management Strategy Toolkit (SaMS). The extensive stakeholder process was used to foster a collaborative effort to meet the chloride loads specified in the Accotink Creek total maximum daily load (TMDL) and address salt application in the region. Learn more about the process on DEQ’s Salt Management Strategy Development page. The Toolkit is being implemented under the leadership of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission.

As part of the process, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) created the technical report Salt Management Strategy: Environmental Impacts and Potential Economic Costs and Benefits of Improved Management Practices in Northern Virginia. Learn more about their involvement in the process on the ICPRB website.

Roadway Deicing and Impacts to Drinking Water Sources and the Environment

Best Practices for the Homeowner

Deicers and Stormwater Runoff

Airport Deicing

Common Roadway Deicers and Alternatives

Winter Operations Training Resources

State Transportation Agencies ā€“ Winter Weather Information