In Maryland, salt pollution is already problematic and continues to worsen. Currently, 28 of Maryland’s streams are identified as chloride impaired [Winter Salt]. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the baseline secondary contaminant level for chloride, a common component of road salt (mostly sodium chloride, NaCl), at 250 mg/L; however, many of the state’s streams have exceeded this limit for over 20 years [UMD extension]. In fact, the Potomac River, which supplies drinking water to more than 5 million people, is three times saltier than it was only three decades ago [Winter Salt]. It is crucial that we halt this trend of increasing salt pollution before more people lose access to safe drinking water.
Salt pollution has had the greatest impact on urban and suburban areas in the state. Looking at cases in the Baltimore area, where concentrations of chloride in streams and reservoirs have doubled over the past 30 years, residents are already detrimentally impacted by salt pollution. In Parkton Area, Baltimore, 60% of wells sampled in 2006-07 contained chloride levels greater than 250 mg/l, exceeding the limit set by the EPA [Koepenick 21]. With some households even noticing a salty taste in their drinking water, salt pollution is already threatening the health and safety of residents [Simms 2018].
Despite chloride cases and complaints increasing over time in Baltimore County, the county is no longer processing claims related to salt contamination in well water. In fact, before the county stopped hearing these claims, it paid over $2.3 million in 3 years addressing salt contamination in homeowner wells [Simms 2018]. Clearly, salt pollution has not ceased, and continues to worsen. We cannot continue to ignore and leave this problem unaddressed.
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List of chloride impaired waters: Casselman River, Georges Creek, Wills Creek, Evitts Creek, Little Tonoloway Creek, Conococheague Creek, Potomac River (WA Cnty), Seneca Creek, Potomac River (MO Cnty), Cabin John Creek, Anacostia River, Potomac River U Tidal, Piscataway Creek, Mattawoman Creek, Port Tobacco River, Patuxent River, Little Patuxent River, South River, Patapsco River Lower N Bar, Liberty Reservoir, Gwynns Falls, Jones Falls, Loch Raven Reservoir, Lower Gunpowder Falls, Back River, Baltimore Harbor, Magothy River, Bush River
