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HomeMy Public PortalAboutDe-icer brochureBEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Snow & Ice Removal: Use mechanical means before applying deicers. Deicer Application: Follow manufacturer's instructions and use only enough to break the ice/pavement bond. Do not apply on vegetation or near waterways. Use less harmful deicers such as Calcium Magnesium Acetate or Sodium/Potassium Acetate. Snow & Ice Disposal: Do not dispose of snow & ice in wetlands or catch basins or directly on top of storm drains or ditches. FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information about ways to prevent stormwater pollution, please visit the Town's website: http://www.watertowndpw.org/161/Stormw ater-Management This brochure made in collaboration with Mystic River WATERSHED ASSOCIATION www.mysticriver.org Brochure adapted from Port Jefferson's Storm water Management Program Town of Watertown Snow and Ice Removal Requirements Businesses are required by law to clear their sidewalks within 2 hours of the end of a storm, or by the beginning of the next business day (see zoning language below). Businesses are subject to a fine of $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense, and $300 for the third offense. "SNOW/ICE REMOVAL ORDINANCE -- Every person in charge or control of any building or lot of land within a business district and used for business purposes in the City, fronting on or abutting a paved sidewalk, shall remove and clear away, snow and ice from a patch of at least 36-inches in width from that portion of the sidewalk, which abuts any side of the building or lot of land. Such snow and/or ice shall be removed within 2-hours after the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet, or freezing rain during business hours or by the beginning of business hours of the next business day following such fall." The Town also requests that residents clear their sidewalks, to allow neighbors to safely move around town. This includes the many children who use our sidewalks to get to school. For more information about the requirements, contact the Zoning/Code Enforcement Office at 617-972-6427. WINTER MAINTENANCE AND DE-ICING Proper Use of Deicers for Property & Business Owners WatertownTF /"a ntor We're all about ... this town."' OVERVIEW Snow and ice on roads, parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks can create hazardous conditions. Snow and ice removal is best done non -chemically with plows and shovels but, admittedly, the results are not always adequate to ensure safety. Chemical ice melters and/or sanding is often part of a comprehensive strategy to make winter's passage a safe one. IMPACTS OF SALT & SAND Salt and sand have traditionally been perceived as the cheapest and most effective materials for de-icing driving and walking surfaces. However, many people do not realize that they have hidden impacts that can detract from their overall effectiveness. Even in small quantities, salt can: - Deplete the oxygen supply needed by aquatic animals and plants; - Leach into the ground and change soil composition, making it hard for plants to survive; - Contaminate groundwater and surface waters; and, - Deteriorate paved surfaces, buildings, infrastructures, and the environment. Similarly, sand can: - Bury the aquatic floor life, fill in habitats, and cloud the water; - Cause premature deterioration of floor surfaces as it is tracked into buildings; Lose its effectiveness after becoming embedded in snow and ice; - Enter catch basins, storm drains, and surface waters if it is not swept up each spring; and, - Contribute to clogged storm drains, which can cause flooding. HOW DEICERS WORK Generally, chemical ice melters depress the freezing point of snow and ice and turn the mixture into a liquid or semi -liquid slush. Solid chemical salts bore through ice or snow and form a strong brine solution. This brine spreads under the ice or hard -packed snow and undercuts, breaking the bond to the surface. Once loose, the ice or snow is easily removed. PROPERTIES OF DEICERS Sodium Chloride: Also known as rock salt, it provides adequate, economical performance at temperatures at or just below 32F; though it loses most of its effectiveness when temperatures fall below 22F. It can be corrosive to steel, is harmful to roadside vegetation, and can contaminate surface water and drinking water. Calcium and Magnesium Chloride: Though they cost 2-3 times more than rock salt, they are effective at lower temperatures, less corrosive to metals, and less harmful to roadside vegetation. They leave a white residue on surfaces when dry. Potassium Chloride: Though it costs about 10 times more than rock salt, it is effective at lower temperatures, less corrosive to metals, and considered to be more environmentally - friendly than other salts because of its lower chloride content. Sodium or Potassium Acetate: Though they cost about 8 times more than rock salt, they are effective at lower temperatures, are not corrosive to metals since they contain no chlorides, and are safer for the environment. Calcium Magnesium Acetate: Though it cost about 5 times more than rock salt, it is effective at lower temperatures, it is not corrosive to metals, and is one of the most environmentally -friendly ice melting compounds. NOTES ABOUT SAND Sand is an abrasive that does not have any ice melting capacity. It can provide traction for walking or driving. It is typically mixed with a deicer to prevent its clumping. Sand is non -corrosive and inexpensive. However, sand will accumulate and will clog catch basins and stormwater systems. Sand can also create problems with dust when it dries. If you use sand on a commercial parking lot of driveway, make sure to have your parking lot swept and catch basins cleaned at the end of the season.