Smart Salting (S2) training information

Link to the Smart Salt training calendar

Information: Because of the expanded training schedule, we no longer maintain the training schedule in the stormwater manual. The training calendar is found here.

Did you ever think about what happens to the tons of salt that goes on our roads, parking lots, and sidewalks each winter? Most of it ends up in our lakes, streams, wetlands, and groundwater. As a result, clean water in Minnesota is in jeopardy.

The MPCA’s Smart Salting trainings provide suggestions to improve operator effectiveness and for reducing chloride pollution while keeping the roads, parking lots, and sidewalks safe. Many organizations that have participated in the Smart Salting training have been able to reduce their salt use by 30-70%!

Learn how you and your organization can become Smart Salting certified.

Smart Salting (S2) training schedule

Because of the initial success of the pilot project, Fortin Consulting has received a 319 grant to conduct additional training sessions in Minnesota. The training calendar is found here.

Training sessions include the following.

• Level 1 training
  • Smart Salting for roads
    • 5 year individual certification
  • Smart Salting for parking lots and sidewalks
    • 5 year individual certification
  • Smart Salting for Property Management
    • 3 year individual certification
• Smart Salting Level 2
  • 2 year organizational certification

MPCA Smart Salting Level 1 Certification: Snow and ice control best practices

If you are involved with winter maintenance, you can learn how to significantly reduce your salt use, reduce damages to infrastructure and vegetation and save money while maintaining your current level of service.

Who should participate?

• State, city, county, schools and other government winter maintenance staff
• Private sector winter maintenance professionals
• Property managers
• Environmental professionals, law makers, researchers or anyone wanting to gain a better understanding of the chloride situation and ways to reduce salt use.
• Manual that accompanies the Smart Salting for Parking lots and sidewalks (Note: Will be updated in 2020)
• Manual that accompanies the Smart Salting for Roads (Note: Proposed update in 2021)
• Manual that accompanies the Smart Salting for Property Management - coming soon

MPCA Smart Salting Level 2 training and organizational level certification

Level 2 training has been developed for winter maintenance leadership (public or private). It will help leaders assess their entire winter maintenance operation and chart a path towards salt reduction. The training centers around the use of the free online Smart Salting Assessment tool SSAt. Note that attending Level 2 training is not required to become Level 2 certified but using SSAt is required. Level 2 training walks attendees through how to use the tool and its many capabilities for assessments, salt saving projections and reporting.

Smart Salting Assessment Tool (SSAt)

Today SSAt allows the user to conduct assessments in winter maintenance and in dust control. Future additions are planned in Water Softening and likely Fertilizer.

Maintaining Level 2 Certification Organizations with Level 2 certification remain certified as long as they update and resubmit their reports every 2 years.

• The MPCA is interested in sharing positive, salt-saving changes. Please share your success story with us at at this email address
• If you have any questions about the certification process or the SSAt please contact us at this email address

Other resources

Model Snow and Ice Policies

• Model Snow and Ice Policy Advisory Committee Minnesota Model Snow and Ice Management Policy File:Model Snow Ice Policy.docx
• Model Snow and Ice Policy Advisory Committee Guidance Document File:Model Contract Exhibit Language.docx

Model Snow and Ice Contracts

• Minnesota Model Exhibit for Private Snow and Ice Service Contract
• Minnesota Model Private Snow and Ice Service Contract

Model Ordinances

• Chloride Reduction Model Ordinance Language

Related pages

• How salt works
• Environmental impacts of road salt
• Other impacts of road salt use
• Snow and salt storage
• Salt application BMPs
• Technology-based deicing BMPs
• Non-chloride chemical alternatives for deicing
• Emerging and non-traditional deicing BMPs
• Chloride Management Plan
• Winter Maintenance Assessment tool (WMAt)
• Winter Parking Lot and Sidewalk Maintenance Manual
• Smart Salting (S2) training information
• Smart Salting (S2) training certificate holders
• Educational resources for Smart Salting (S2)
• Cost-benefit considerations for Smart Salting (S2) and road salt winter maintenance
• Case studies for Smart Salting (S2) and road salt winter maintenance
• Chloride TMDL projects
• Links for Smart Salting (S2) and road salt winter maintenance
• References for Smart Salting (S2) and road salt winter maintenance