RI Officials Say It's Time to Identify Snow Disposal Sites

The Department of Environmental Management is advising businesses and agencies to select sites that will minimize impact on public health

With winter approaching, Rhode Island state officials say now is the time to find snow collection sites.

The Department of Environmental Management is asking businesses, community groups and government agencies to begin selecting and preparing sites, to minimize impacts on public health and the environment.

DEM says snow collected from roads, parking lots, bridges and sidewalks may contain harmful contaminants, such as road salt, sand and litter, which can compromise water supplies.

The agency advises choosing sites that are adjacent to, or on, pervious surfaces in upland areas, away from water resources and wells.

Officials also suggest preparing and maintaining the sites by installing a silt fence or sediment barriers on the down-gradient side, maintaining a vegetative buffer between the site and adjacent waterways and clearing away debris.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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