By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator On March 27, 2026, the energy at the BlackRock Center for the Arts was buzzing with excitement. Councilmember-at-Large Laurie-Anne Sayles hosted her fourth annual Women’s History…
By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator Winter may come and go, but the impact of road salt lingers long after the snow melts—seeping into our soil, groundwater, and waterways where…
By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator Can small actions really make a big difference for our waterways? We just proved they can. When I joined the Izaak Walton League back in 2022,…
On March 25, 2026, the Iowa Environmental Council and the Harkin Institute released an 88-page report titled “Environmental Risk Factors and Iowa’s Cancer Crisis” that summarizes medical research on the risk factors…
By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator From “The Burning River” to Salt Watch: Meet Mark, the Citizen Scientist Protecting Cleveland’s Waterways For some, the environment is a hobby. For Mark,…
By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator With so much heavy news about our local waterways lately, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But this past week, a “small win” in Reston…
By: Abby Hileman, Salt Watch Coordinator Winter Salt Week 2026 (January 26-30) just wrapped up, and what a week it was! Originally a local Wisconsin initiative, this movement has evolved…
This news article from cleveland.com discusses how heavy road salt usage in Ohio during winter storms is causing significant environmental damage, with chloride levels in some waterways reaching nearly 14 times…
This article from 29 News reports an interview with the Izaak Walton League’s own Samantha Puckett who explains that road salt, while crucial for winter safety, poses severe and persistent…

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.