Kent State University Biological Sciences Assistant Professor Lauren Kinsman-Costello, Ph.D., confirmed the possibility that increasing amounts of road salt could potentially end up in Ohio’s water supply, but it is very unlikely.
Dr. Kinsman-Costello has spent decades studying water patterns in Portage and Cuyahoga counties.
“The amount of road salt we’re using is increasing faster than our cities and population are growing,” Dr. Kinsman-Costello told WKYC. “Water can carry that salt into ground water.”
It is unlikely to get into Cleveland’s water supply though.
“If we’re getting our drinking water out of such a large source, such as Lake Erie, road salt isn’t directly going to affect you,” Dr. Kinsman-Costello said in the video. “But if you’re getting water from a river, it’s possible.”
Along with drinking water, Dr. Kinsman-Costello also confirmed that road salt is doing real damage to sea life and plant growth. Many places across the country are changing their de-icing methods and beginning to use brine or potatoes to melt snow and ice on the roads.
To see the whole video on WKYC’s site, visit https://www.wkyc.com/video/news/local/northeast-ohio/will-road-salt-contaminate-drinking-water/95-87159a2a-74a8-450d-b80d-f3ea262f0373