[ back ]
EPA, township seek solution to road-salt violation
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - August 25, 2010)
EPA, township seek solution to road-salt violation
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Chardon Township Trustees met in special session this week with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency officials to discuss possible solutions to road salt that has migrated into neighboring residential water wells.
The meeting, slated for last night (Aug. 26), was intended to allow OEPA officials to come on-site and discuss the township's plans for remedying the salt problem.
The township was issued a notice of violation in March for what EPA officials said was caused when road salt and cinders were mixed on a gravel surface. That allowed the salt to migrate into the underground aquifers in the area, EPA officials said.
The township's road garage has been mixing the two road treatments for decades at its maintenance garage at 9949 Mentor Road.
The EPA, at that time, cited nine area water wells as showing signs of concentrations of salt in them.
The meeting came on the heels of a 77-page plan issued by the EPA to the township. The detailed plan deals with future site sampling of the ground, surface and underground waters in the area.
"Burgess and Niple Inc. was retained by Chardon Township Trustees to conduct a subsurface investigation for the Chardon Township maintenance facility located at 9949 Mentor Road," the plan's introduction said. "The purpose of this sampling and analysis work plan is to develop a plan to evaluate the potential impact of road salt storage to media at the site, and to document and ensure proper sampling and data collection methodologies will be used during the assessment activities."
The plan, according to EPA officials, was developed to meet the recommendations of an April meeting between EPA officials and Township Trustees.
The plan said the township road garage has been using the site for "de-icing operations since 1982. Approximately 400 to 500 tons of road salt are stored on the site for a six-month period, while another 400 tons of ash-cinders are stored on-site to mix with road salt prior to de-icing.
"The salt storage facility consists of a covered storage area for the road salt; however, a mixing zone is not in a paved area and not under a covered structure ... It appears that historic storage of road salt may have impacted the soil and/or ground water."
The plan goes into detail discussing the numbers of probes that will be used to gauge soil contamination, impacts on surrounding wells, the types of sampling devices and clothing that must be worn during sampling.
The plan seeks ground-water samples from "at least 19," residential and private water wells, which includes homes on Woodie Glen, Mentor Road, Hampton Ridge and Breckenridge Road.
Also, the plan calls for three surface water samples, which are to be collected during low flow times, as well as within 30 minutes of 0.1 inch or more of rainfall. It details what items will be used for collecting samples as well as how they should be handled before being sent to a lab for analysis.
Hard hats, steel-toe shoes and other appropriate protective clothing, such as latex or nitrile gloves, also are spelled out as being required for collecting soil and water.
The plan cautions against using duct tape, smoking during the work, wearing wristwatches, and even dental fillings, which all could cross-contaminate samples taken.
The township has been discussing the possible construction of a salt shed to keep de-icing activities within a closed structure. But, the chances of that construction occurring prior to the next winter season seems remote.
Trustee Steven Borawski said, even without a new salt shed, trustees will cease mixing salt and cinders on the gravel surface.
He said it is likely the township will have to place a pile of salt in trucks and then place cinders on top of the salt.
While it will not be an even mix when spread onto the roads, he said, it will provide some traction for motorists.
[ back ]
