Minnesotans love their lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water, but we’ve got a growing problem with salt pollution. Excess salt (chlorides) comes primarily from three sources:

1. Road salt
2. Water softeners
3. Fertilizer, manure, and dust suppressant

Salty water threatens fish and other aquatic life. Chloride can also get into our groundwater, so water supplies that come from surface water and groundwater are impacted. One teaspoon of salt is enough to permanently pollute 5 gallons of water, and once it’s in the water, there is no easy way to remove it.

So, what can you do? … Yes, YOU can have an impact!

The Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment, in partnership with the East Metro Water Resources Education Program and the Washington Conservation District, produced a short, fun video that explains the problem with easy-to-understand cartoon graphics and offers suggestions on what the general public can do to help protect Minnesota water.

Check out the video by clicking here, or clicking on the video below!

Learn more about salt in Minnesota waters at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Chloride 101 website.