If you live in Milwaukee, you've probably noticed the side streets covered in icy, hard packed snow. The Department of Public Works is trying to scrape it all out today.
DPW officials say they'll be applying a layer of salt with calcium chloride brine onto all impacted streets. Brine is gentler on the environment, with less salt ending up in the ground water.
Officials with Milwaukee Water Works say that's especially important when you consider how many water main breaks there have been in the city lately. They say the frigid temperatures we've been experiencing cause ground water to freeze up and move underground water mains that deliver water to your home.
Water Works Superintendent Patrick Pauly says mains that were installed in the 1950s and 60s have caused the biggest problems because they're much thinner than modern mains, and buried in gravel, which makes them more susceptible to road salt. Pauly says he's expecting more main breaks as temperatures warm.
The city has worked hard in the past ten years to replace those older mains. But, for now, to protect those mains, DPW crews will not be salting bare pavement.
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