Chloride from excessive road salt runoff is endangering several Ann Arbor creeks and other waterways. That’s the findings of a workgroup of the city’s Sustainability Commission.
Chloride can be toxic to aquatic life with freshwater mussels particularly sensitive. That’s important because mussels are natural purifiers of water. Chloride also moves through aquatic systems quickly and infiltrates groundwater.
Commissioner Sara Nedrich says it’s a hard problem to address.
“We need road salt for safety to keep us from getting into accidents in the winter, but we also need to be able to protect our aquatic environments and protect the species that live there.”
Testing has shown chloride concentrations in Mallets, Miller and Swift Run Creeks to be the highest in the city, well above the standard levels set by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
The workgroup will continue to study the findings and recommend ways to reduce the runoff while keeping winter roads safe.
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