Salt Certification Registration is now open for late summer/early fall 2020. Free virtual workshops are open to all winter maintenance professionals/contractors in Dane County. The City encourages anyone who professionally applies salt to earn certification. The City also encourages residents to choose salt certified applicators.

Workshops are open for the following (link will direct you to Wisconsin SaltWise website):

• Parking Lots and Sidewalks: 8 a.m.- 1 p.m., Aug. 17, 2020 Virtual Workshop
  • Register online
• Roads: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Aug. 18, 2020 Virtual Workshop
  • Register online
• Parking Lots and Sidewalks: 8 a.m.- 1 p.m., Sept. 11, 2020, Virtual Workshop
  • Register online
• Parking Lots and Sidewalks: 8 a.m.- 1 p.m., Oct. 2, 2020, Virtual Workshop
  • Register online
• Parking Lots and Sidewalks: 8 a.m.- 1 p.m., Oct. 27, 2020, Virtual Workshop
  • Register online
• Roads: 8 a.m.- 1 p.m., Oct. 28, 2020, Virtual Workshop
  • Register online

The Madison Salt Certification Program was developed in 2017. More than 300 certified applicators have been trained in Dane County since the voluntary program was started. The program is housed in City of Madison Engineering Division, but it is supported in collaboration with Wisconsin SaltWise. This program encourages winter maintenance professionals to use the least amount of de-icing material necessary to keep parking lots, roads, sidewalks and driveways safe.

What residents can do
This certification may be for contractors in Dane County and municipalities to get certified, but there are a couple things residents can do to be more conscious of winter salt use:

• Hire a salt-certified applicator for salt distribution on sidewalks and driveways
• Learn more about salt and its impacts on WISaltWise.com

Why everyone should care about salt
Salt is important to clear roads, parking lots and sidewalks to keep the community safe. However, overuse of salt is harming the environment. It only takes one teaspoon of salt to permanently pollute five gallons of water to a level that is toxic for freshwater life. Salt washes into the waters, putting aquatic plants and animals at risk. Once salt gets into the water, it’s very costly to remove. Salt weakens and damages the concrete, brick and stone that makes up homes, garages, bridge and roads. Learn more about how salt impacts daily life on wisaltwise.com.