County Uses Brine from Westwood to Clear Walkways, Parking Lots

The cleanup after winter storms is costly and Bergen County is investigating one way to save money. For this winter season, the county has been testing a brine the  makes.

Westwood Mayor John Birkner Jr. said the county is currently where the borough was a few years ago, in the testing phase. He said about two years ago, the borough's DPW began making a brine, which is a mixture of water and salt, to put down on roadways before snowstorms. The mixture, which Birkner said adheres more easily to asphalt than traditional rock salt, allows plows to get a "cleaner pass," leaving less snow on the street.

According to Bergen County Executive Chief of Staff Jeanne Baratta, the county is using the brine on walkways and parking lots this winter. She said they hope to expand use to streets next year.

Baratta said Westwood's mixture saves money and is more environmentally friendly than using traditional rock salt. She said rock salt costs $63 per ton. The brine costs 7 cents per gallon, which equates to $16 to $17 per ton, she said.

"It's a savings of $46 a ton compared to the salt," Baratta said. "That's a lot of money."

In addition to saving on materials, Baratta said the brine saves on manpower costs as well because it is more effective. She explained that when brine is down before a snowfall, up to two inches of snow will melt away without any additional action needed.

Brine is also better for the environment because it's diluted and sticks to the pavement more easily than rock salt. When salt is spread on roads prior to a storm, it can blow off the roadway and end up in the water stream. Since brine is a liquid, it doesn't blow away.

"This [brine] is a clear solution with no chemicals," Baratta said. "It's much better."

The county is currently laying the brine out through its mosquito division, which has equipment that can spray the solution. Baratta said the county is investigating ways to distribute the brine on a wider scale.

But the buzz is positive for the salt water solution which some have referred to as "pickle juice."

"We think it's a terrific alternative to using the rock salt," Baratta said.

Birkner said the borough began supplying the county with brine after having success with the product on its streets. "It was just kind of one of those things that developed," he said.

Westwood can't take all the credit for the brine though. Birkner said River Vale was at the forefront of the initiative, making brine and supplying it to other municipalities. Washington Township also started a program.

"We started a trial period in 2009 and then last year and this year we've been going full guns on ours," Birkner said. "Our DPW fabricated its own brine application machine out of one of our trucks." He said workers made the necessary sprayers for the brine to coat the streets before snowstorms.

Birkner said he didn't have exact numbers for cost savings, but explained that using the brine increases efficiency, which saves money.

"It's more of a matter of efficiency and practicality," Birkner said. "The salt you apply stays on the road so you do use less."