“Water quality data that the district collected on the waterways demonstrated that those water quality standards were not currently being attained, or really attainable in the Chicago Area Waterway System, primarily due to episodic winter road de-icing operations,” said Jennifer Wasik, assistant director for the monitoring and research department of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. The district, which treats wastewater and manages stormwater for the Chicago area, is one of the petitioners.
Salt may be a savior for roads, but it imperils Chicago-area water and wildlife. Some communities and agencies are working to change that.
