Our waterways are becoming saltier. Join ICPRB and our partners for a series of events in celebration of Winter Salt Week to raise awareness around salt pollution and reduction solutions.
There are also nationwide events for Winter Salt Week, which runs from January 26-30, 2026 with livestreams from experts across the country each day.
Webinar: Safe Sidewalks, Clean Water for Residents
Watch the recording on ICPRB’s YouTube page >>>
Read the presentation slide from the webinar >>>
January 21, 2026 | 1 – 1:30 pm
(Audience: general public)
Only 1 mug of salt is needed for 10 sidewalk squares.
This webinar explains how winter salt impacts our environment, why it’s a growing regional concern, and the simple steps you can take at home—before, during, and after storms—to apply just the right amount of salt to maintain safety in the winter. Learn application tips, alternatives to salt, and other ways you can be #wintersaltsmart while protecting the environment.
Speakers
- Renee Bourassa | Communications Director, Interstate Commission for the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB)
- Rebecca Murphy | Coastal Program Manager, Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC)
Attendees will also have the chance to win a free sidewalk ice scraper! Winners will be selected at the end of each webinar.
Movie Night: Pollution in the Potomac
New Spire Arts: 15 West Patrick St, Frederick, MD
January 22, 2026 | 5 – 8 pm
What’s the current state of water quality in the Potomac River? What are PFAS chemicals and how do they impact our water? How does road salt fit into the pollution story, and what can we all do to make a difference? Learn about these topics and more, and catch a screening of the World’s Most Scenic River Journeys episode on the Potomac River, followed by presentations by the Potomac Riverkeepers and the City of Frederick Sustainability Department.
Webinar: Community Winter Salt Management
Watch the recording on NVRC’s YouTube page >>>
Read the presentation slide from the webinar >>>
January 23, 2026 | 1 – 1:30 pm
(Audience: HOAs, property managers, community associations, maintenance teams, etc.)
This session is tailored for HOA and other community association residents, board members, community managers, and maintenance team members. Gain best practices and resources for efficient winter salt use, contractor coordination, and strategies to reduce environmental damage while maintaining profitability and setting winter maintenance expectations. Hear from the Reston Association and Columbia Association on ways that they are taking action to improve winter salt management in their communities.
Speakers
- Benjamin Rhoades | Watershed Manager, Reston Association
- Janine Pollack | Watershed Manager, Columbia Association
- Camryn Arnstein | Natural Resources Planner, Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)
Attendees will also have the chance to win a free sidewalk ice scraper! Winners will be selected at the end of each webinar.
DMV Winter Salt Week Open House
Registration is requested, but not required.
January 31st , 10am-1pm, Gaithersburg, MD
(Audience: general public, watershed organizations, and media)
Learn how salt affects our health and freshwater ecosystems, what’s being done, and how we can support local efforts to reduce road salt use. During the event we will hear from regional expert speakers, monitor the local waterways in Gaithersburg, Maryland for road salt pollution, and learn how much salt is needed to keep us safe during the winter while keeping environmental health in mind.