For those of you who are reading from Rio-Linda that is WATER. Since we all are tied to this ball we call earth and there is no escaping before the Lord gives that last breath. Just like us all the water that we have is all we will be getting. So as the old adage is 'What goes around, comes around' so water makes it's rounds, all in the good timing of the Lord.
Now here in Pullman and across the state and also over in Idaho we have the same problem. The highway department use of salt & salt brine anti-icing agents has me VERY concerned. Here are some quotes from DOT's web page:
What about the impacts on the environment?
Our past monitoring of streams, rivers, groundwater, and ponds has shown very low levels of chlorides from our routine roadway applications of salt or other chemicals. Levels found have been well below applicable standards or guidelines. We continue to monitor these applications to determine what, if any, impact they may have on the environment.
Isn't salt corrosive to vehicles?
Yes. All ice-inhibiting products – salt and chemical anti-icers alike – have some corrosive properties. The question boils down to, “Is the extra cost of the anti-icers worth paying if they still cause corrosion?”
To read more on this go to
Wash. DOT here, that is where the above quotes came from. More reading also HERE.
Now to bring this dog home from the 'hunt' we need PARD on this problem. Oh yes, they only worry about the here and now and not the long view of things. The chlorides and salts can not be good for our ground water. Yes the dust is cut down and all BUT we need to drink clean water in the future and not worry about dust so much. Dust is part of life and it is natural and anti-icing agents are NOT.
Now lets close with this; as stated in the above quote "All ice-inhibiting products – salt and chemical anti-icers alike – have some corrosive properties.". I don't know about you, but I can't afford to buy new car every other year or so. Have any of you been in Chicago the roads are GREAT BUT take a look at there cars and there is not one '90's car that doesn't have body cancer. I doubt that you will see any 1970's or 1980's cars in the area. Oh there I going thinking again the unions have control of the state and local governments and they want to sell LOTS of cars so the UAW's can stay working, more union ties....
What say you? should we STOP using anti-icing agents, I think so. Than can the "slime" and lets use good old sand and gravel. Get the street sweepers out when it is raining or melting and get it swept up ASAP.
2 comments:
Ray,
This reminds me of something that happened in Pearl Harbor once. A submarine was in port and needed to raise and lower its periscope. In order to do that, you have to pour water on it (because water is the lubricating agent on the periscope). They were going to use drinking water to do so, and they were told that drinking water wasn't pure enough to allow flow into Pearl Harbor.
Craziness!
best,
Dale
One of the reasons I posted this was since we are hearing that the new mall on the state line will be drilling a well and that means they will be using ground water. I forget the upper aquifer name but if that is the one used with all the anti-icing agents it can't be that good for us. They complain about just a drop or two of gasoline on the ground on how much that will harm us. I have wondered how many GALLONS they use of these agents, and this will not have any harm? If that is what they want to sell us, if so I have a bridge I could sell them… LOL.
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