Salt Smart This Winter: St. Cloud Urges Residents to Protect Local Waters

(KNSI) – As winter weather settles in across St. Cloud, city officials are reminding residents that a little salt goes a long way toward keeping driveways and walkways safe.

The public works department says the message is simple: reach for your shovel first, and use salt sparingly. When salt is necessary, residents may be surprised to learn how little is actually needed. Officials say a single coffee mug’s worth of salt can effectively treat a 20-foot driveway.

If too much salt has been applied, residents are encouraged to sweep up the excess and save it for the next snow event.

The campaign emphasizes the environmental impact of salt use. Excess salt doesn’t disappear when snow melts, it runs off into storm drains and eventually makes its way into local lakes and rivers, where it can harm aquatic ecosystems.

To minimize environmental impact, the city advises residents to avoid salting near storm drains and to apply only the amount needed for safety.

By adopting these “salt smart” practices, St. Cloud residents can maintain safe walkways while helping protect the community’s waterways throughout the winter season.

___