Industrial Chloride Reduction Project
Background
High levels of chloride negatively impact aquatic life in rivers and lakes in MN. It only takes one teaspoon of table salt to pollute five gallons of water above the chronic level of 230 milligrams per liter (mg/L). In 2024, 68 water bodies in Minnesota were on the Minnesota’s 2024 Impaired Waters List as impaired by chloride. Chloride enters water bodies as runoff from winter maintenance, fertilizer, and dust suppression or in discharge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and industrial facilities. With increasing chloride levels, chloride limits in wastewater permits are becoming more common, meaning WWTPs and industrial facilities need to reduce chloride discharge.
Project
MnTAP’s Industrial Chloride Reduction project will help industrial facilities across Minnesota reduce chloride use to prevent chloride pollution. MnTAP will work directly with industrial facilities and coordinate with WWTPs to reach upstream facilities. One goal of the project is to reduce 25,000 pounds per year of chloride use, which would prevent pollution of 15,000,000 gallons of water. Project activities will include:
- Outreach: Direct outreach to communities and facilities about the project.
- Site assessments: MnTAP staff completing site visits to identify and quantify opportunities to reduce chloride use.
- Intern projects: Placing MnTAP interns on-site for 3 months to find ways to reduce chloride use.
- Sharing results: Sharing project results and lessons learned through presentations, success stories, a webinar, and a webpage.
How to participate?
Method 1: Site Assessment
At site visits, MnTAP staff directly observe your operations and collect data about chloride use and processes. All of this helps MnTAP staff recommend options to reduce chloride use in your facility.
Key details to consider:
- No cost
- 2- hour onsite assessments
- Facilities may be asked to provide data or bills to help develop recommendations.
- Implementing recommendations is voluntary.
- After making recommendations, MnTAP staff will follow up by phone or email within 3 months to check in on any implementation of recommendations and assist with any challenges.
Method 2: MnTAP Intern Program
The MnTAP Intern Program places undergraduate and graduate students, who have a technical background and are interested in gaining practical experience in pollution prevention or sustainability, at host sites. To learn more, visit our MnTAP Intern Program page.
Key details to consider:
- Interns develop in-depth, tailored recommendations on how the host site can reduce chloride use.
- Full-time intern is onsite for 3 months over the summer and completes 500 hours of project work.
- Interns work with onsite staff and are advised by MnTAP staff and engineers.
- An onsite staff can expect to spend between 2 to 5 hours per week with their intern, although many interns can work more independently and with less support after being onboarded.
- Interns will be compensated by MnTAP.
- MnTAP asks for a contribution of $4,000 from host companies for participating. You can request more information on this payment on your proposal.
- Implementing recommendations is voluntary.
- MnTAP staff will follow up for 2 years after the project to check in on any implementation of recommendations and assist with any challenges.
- Apply to host an intern by January 16, 2026. MnTAP staff are happy to provide assistance during the application process.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
Contact:
Laura Sevcik
lsevcik@umn.edu
612-624-8192