Winter Salt Week 2025

Join us in person at the MWMO Stormwater Park and Learning Center — or online from anywhere — for Winter Salt Week 2025 (January 27–31). This annual event brings together organizations from across the U.S. and Canada to raise awareness about chloride pollution and explore practical ways to reduce salt use without compromising safety. It’s a great opportunity to learn about eco-friendly winter maintenance, hear success stories, and connect with experts working to protect our waterways.

What is Winter Salt Week?

Simply put, Winter Salt Week is a chance for communities across the United States and Canada to learn about winter salt use and its impact on the environment. When cities, businesses, and homeowners apply salt to roads and sidewalks, that salt can eventually wash into lakes and rivers — or seep into our drinking water supply.

Much like how runoff picks up pollutants and carries them into the nearest body of water, melting snow and ice carry dissolved salt along for the ride. Over time, this excess chloride can damage infrastructure, harm aquatic life, and contaminate our freshwater resources.

Winter Salt Week shines a spotlight on these challenges while highlighting solutions — from smart salting practices to innovative technologies — that help us use less salt without sacrificing safety. By staying informed and sharing what we learn, we can encourage the adoption of best practices in snow and ice control, ultimately protecting our local waters and ensuring a healthier environment for future generations.

What’s Happening

Daily Livestreams with Experts

From January 27–30, join 30-minute livestreams each day at 12:30 p.m. (CDT). Hear from experts discussing chloride pollution, its environmental impacts, and innovative solutions to reduce salt use.

We’ll be hosting lunchtime viewing sessions for these webinars at our Stormwater Park and Learning Center, complete with free coffee and tea. Plus, every attendee will receive a special gift, including traction grit, magnets, or Winter Salt Week mugs — show up every day, and you could go home with one of each!

Schedule Highlights

January 27

An Eye on Salt Pollution

Abby Hileman discusses how road salt affects freshwater ecosystems and human health and how the Salt Watch program empowers communities.

A salt-covered sidewalk in downtown Minneapolis.

January 28

Dilution is Not the Solution

Dr. Jess Hua delves into the surprising ways low concentrations of salt can harm wildlife and ecosystems.

a salt-caked storm drain

January 29

Public Works Perspective

Learn how municipalities like Minnetonka, MN, are reducing salt use with new technologies like brine.

A truck applying road salt in Minnesota.
Photo by David R. Gonzalez of the Minnesota Department of Transportation

January 30

Policy Solutions Panel

Hear about innovative programs, including Minnesota’s “Low Salt, No Salt” campaign and others.

Chicken grit (aka "traction grit") on an icy sidewalk in Minneapolis.

Get Involved

  • Register for Livestreams: Sign up here to join the daily webinars from home.
  • Visit Us: Stop by the MWMO Stormwater Park for the viewing sessions — feel free to bring your lunch and enjoy the event with us!
  • Spread the Word: Encourage your city, watershed, or local leaders to participate.
  • Plan a Local Action Day Event: Host a salt-monitoring session or share resources with your community.

Together, we can work toward a safer, cleaner, and less salty winter. Join us January 27–31, 2025, for Winter Salt Week!

Why It Matters

Road salt is one of the leading contributors to water pollution in Minnesota and beyond. In the Twin Cities area alone, the bulk of the salt applied to roads, sidewalks, and parking lots is eventually carried into local lakes, rivers, and groundwater. Even a small amount — just one teaspoon of salt — can permanently contaminate five gallons of water. Over time, this chloride buildup can damage infrastructure, harm fish and other aquatic life, and threaten our drinking water supply.

Fortunately, there are many ways to protect our water resources while still maintaining safe winter conditions. Visit our Snow and Ice Removal page for practical tips on smart salting, using traction grit, and shoveling early to reduce ice buildup. You can also explore the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) Smart Salting resources for guidance on best practices, whether you’re maintaining your own property or hiring a certified contractor.

For an in-depth discussion, check out Designing for a Low-Salt Future with Connie Fortin | River of Ideas, Episode 06 in which host Nick Busse and Low-Salt Strategist Connie Fortin dive into the pressing issue of chloride pollution. Listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch on YouTube to learn how smart salting practices can protect our waterways without compromising safety.