DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – You’ve likely made fewer trips to the car wash this season. That’s because public works departments have had to use less salt than compared to a normal winter season.
“We went through about 500 tons, roughly, for the winter. Generally speaking, we order 1200 tons to get us through the entire winter, so we’re way under what we normally use,” said Tony Feitzer, the De Pere Street Superintendent.
He says less salt usage helps prevent runoff into lakes and streams, and can be saved for the next winter season.
“We do have to have it covered for the DNR requirements in the off-season, it will be covered. So, we have to have it in buildings or tarp adequately.”
The last time many communities in Northeast Wisconsin were in this boat was in the winter of 2011-2012.
Feitzer explained, “We have to give the salt commitment for the next winter, usually in the March/April of the previous year, so we’re kind of going in predicting what the winter’s going to be, and if the winter doesn’t go that way, sometimes we have quite a surplus.”
The good news is the salt won’t go bad. However, it poses a new challenge. How much salt will communities need to order for next season?
Feitzer said, “If we get a significant ice storm or two, which really takes a lot more salt to de-ice vs anti-ice preventing it to bottom at the pavement, it will burn through pretty quick.”
Regardless of the prediction, Feitzer says they’ll have the necessary salt on hand to provide safe roadways, no matter which winter we end up with.
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