Salt Watch Partner groups throughout Virginia are using Salt Watch to make local and regional change. There are several Virginia-based organizations participating in Salt Watch, some of which (like Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy) have more than DOUBLED their volunteer base and sample site locations for chloride monitoring. Salt Watch staff have also expanded their outreach efforts in parts of Northern Virginia thanks to a grant from Fairfax Water.
Salt Watch Monitoring
Want to learn more about road salt pollution in your local waterways? Check out the Salt Watch Map to see where monitoring is taking place. If you see data gaps in your area, we would love your help in filling them! To get started, go to saltwatch.org to request a Salt Watch kit.
Northern Virginia Salt Outreach Workgroup
Salt Watch staff are part of a regional road salt outreach workgroup run by the Northern Virginia Regional Commission that meets regularly to discuss initiatives in Northern Virginia and to amplify “Smart Salt” messaging across organizations and throughout the region. As a result of these collaborations, workgroup members have been able to share resources and reach additional audiences through their outreach.
Resources from Workgroup Members:
- Northern Virginia Salt Management Strategy (SaMs) was established under the guidance of Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to provide recommendations for improving winter practices through efficient and effective salt use while maintaining the same levels of safety.
- Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners (Only Rain webpage) represent 19 Northern Virginia local governments, school systems, independent water and sanitary sewer authorities, and local businesses that care about the quality of waterways and the region’s quality of life.
- Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) started a Community Engagement Campaign to raise awareness about the proper use of winter salts and its impact on drinking water safety. COG, local governments, and water utilities are working together on a “one water” approach to regional water management. This unified strategy involves a blend of public outreach, educational programs, basin-wide source water protection for the entire Potomac River, and targeted initiatives for specific local water concerns.
- Arlington County, Virginia has been working to reduce salt use across the county by providing outreach, updating equipment to regulate and track the quantity of salt used, training employees and contractors in winter salt best practices, and more!
Salt Watch Partners
Salt Watch partner organizations are spreading the word, reporting data, and advocating for reduced use of road salt. Meet our official partners in Virginia.
Your kit will include a bottle containing 25 nitrate test strips which you can use to test your water source(s) throughout the year. You’ll also receive postcards explaining how to use your nitrate test strips and how to share your Nitrate Watch results on the Clean Water Hub.
Your kit will include four test strips so you can test your waterway throughout the season. You’ll also receive a chart to help you interpret your results and a postcard with instructions for completing a Salt Watch test and reporting your findings.