For people in colder areas of the country, winter initiates a shift in behavior. The summer clothes are put away and winter gear is brought out from the back of the closet. Lawn mowers are put into storage while snow blowers and shovels are taken out.
Municipalities also need to bring out winter equipment to take care of roads, sidewalks and other pathways. Road salt is commonly scattered on surfaces to prevent ice from forming a slick, dangerous surface. But though road salt is helpful for keeping sidewalks safe and clear, it has some drawbacks that homeowners who draw water from wells should know.
While the salt does its job to prevent ice formation on the roads, once the rain and snowmelt wash the salt away, the sodium and chloride wind up somewhere else altogether: in lakes, rivers and groundwater. Researchers at the University of Minnesota recently found that as much as 70 percent of the salt dispensed on roadways, sidewalks and other pathways stays in the area's water supply, Slate reported.
Salt in the water supply can affect the taste of well water, but on a more serious note, it can cause health complications, especially among people on a low-sodium diet.
Permeable asphalt is a type of pavement that includes a porous upper layer which helps prevent flooding by allowing water to sink down past the surface. Beneath the upper layer are striations of bedding, reservoirs and drains as needed; together, these elements of permeable asphalt create a stormwater management system that prevents flooding and helps direct water away from an urban area where it can be dangerous or destructive.
Researchers at the University of Connecticut wanted to learn about how salt scattered on permeable asphalt would affect the groundwater in adjacent wells, positioned both upstream and downsteam from the asphalt lot.
The team found that, during the winter months, chloride levels of the water increased. However, during the spring, summer and fall months, chloride levels returned to normal concentrations, suggesting that the permeable pavement aids in diluting the salt water on its way to the wells, and that chloride contamination as a result of salting the roads isn't one that will last once the deicer is put away for the year.
While this may suggest that areas would benefit from using porous asphalt as a way to limit groundwater exposure to salt, it still points to a need for homeowners to be aware of how their drinking water is affected by seasonal conditions.
Salt isn't the only element in groundwater that can cause health concerns. Radium, an element naturally found in rocks and soil, can be an issue, too. UConn researchers found that the cations - positively charged ions - released when sodium chloride dissolves into the ground, interact with the cations in radium. This can cause the radium to decay, which releases radon gas - a dangerous carcinogen that homeowners should test for.
Homeowners who rely on wells must know what's in their water supply. It's equally important to understand how seasonality affects their water. Dealers can help keep households healthy by educating their customers about what risks they're exposed to in their areas, and by providing services like water testing and well renovations and replacements. Offering financing programs can make these services more affordable for the typical homeowner. To learn about how to offer financing plans to your customers, reach out to Aqua Finance.