The use of salt during the winter provides obvious benefits, like making the roads safer, making it safe to walk around, and keeping businesses, vital services and the economy open. However, winter salt use also causes a number of unintended impacts on:

• Drinking water (especially challenging for people on salt restricted diets)
• Infrastructure and property (through corrosion)
• Freshwater fish and other aquatic life not adapted for salty water 

A large and diverse group of stakeholders in the Northern Virginia region have come together to tackle this challenge by striking a balance between the benefits and impacts in a Salt Management Strategy (SaMS).

The SaMS development phase has completed and the implementation phase is beginning under the leadership of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Visit the NVRC SaMS webpage for the SaMS Toolkit and other resources, including best practices that residents can use around their properties. The SaMS Toolkit includes detailed recommendations and resources for winter maintenance professionals and residents to become #WinterSaltSmart. Various other resources and recommendations are also included to promote collaboration and overall improvement in public awareness and winter maintenance.