BARRHEAD - County of Barrhead administration will research how much road salt the municipality uses in its sand mixture on the roads in the Hamlet of Thunder Lake and consider possible alternatives.
Coun. Bill Lane requested the action, which his fellow councillors approved, during the Nov. 19 council meeting, referring to the letter the municipality received from a concerned resident in the hamlet.
Administration will present its findings, potential options, and estimated costs at a council meeting.
The resident was concerned about the environmental impact of road salt on Thunder Lake and its shores, saying that most of the runoff, including the road salt material from the snowmelt and subsequent rains, ends up either in the lake or on its shores.
The resident included a 2017 CBC news article citing a University of Wisconsin study that examined 371 lakes in eastern North America and found that road salt is increasing the salt concentration in freshwater lakes, a similar 2017 articles from Smithsonian Magazine, an article titled The Dangers of Road Salt and the Conversation website article, Forever Contaminant, Road Salts Pose an Icy Delima: Do We Protect Drivers Or Our Fresh Water?
"I think they should strictly do sand," Lane said. "I don't think there is a need to do a lot of sand [in Thunder Lake], just on some of the hills."
He added that many people in the hamlet have complained to him about the amount of sand and salt the municipality uses in their area.
Lane suggested that public works, in many instances, could use pin chips from the county's gravel operations, which is something the resident also recommended in his letter.
Earlier in the meeting, infrastructure director Ken Hove responded to Coun. Paul Properzi's question on the sand-to-salt ratio, he said presently, the sand used for county roads contains 10 per cent salt.
"If the weather is warm, that is enough," Hove said. "When it gets down to -12 C, it is usually a 50/50 blend; when it gets down to -20 C , it is probably 75 per cent salt."
Coun. Walter Preugschas agreed the resident had a legitimate concern, but unfortunately, he did not have the background or knowledge to make an accurate determination.
Deputy reeve Marvin Schatz said moving away from the sand and road salt combination could increase the municipality's winter road maintenance budget for the hamlet.
"Running up there with a half load of chips when everywhere else is getting a sand-road salt mix," he said.
Reeve Doug Drozd interjected that Hove and public works manager Travis Wierenga are well-versed in the subject and should be able to present council with potential options and "Determine if they are a viable solution for the county."
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
