Hardin County Road Department Brine System

About the Program

Category: Transportation (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

To keep winter roads passable and safe for motorists to drive on even in the most difficult weather situations, Hardin County mixes water and calcium chloride in a 300 gallon tank to pre-treat county maintained roads. The cost is a major concern at $870.00 per 1,000 gallons of water, causing efficiency to become a main focus as the county faces harsh winters and tough budgets. The County started looking for new ways to turn rock salt into brine in an effort to increase the efficiency of the county's current infrastructure. Partnering with local businesses, Hardin County developed a "home-made" system of turning rock salt into a liquid brine that pre-treats roadways more efficiently than rock salt alone. The project began in October, 2010 and implementation began in January 2011. Today the Homemade Brine System is working well and saving money.