WASHINGTON — It takes a lot to prepare for a winter storm here. D.C. planners need rock salt, brine and beet juice.
Yep. Beet juice. It’s sitting in a giant vat near Fort Reno.
“We have 50,000 gallons of beet juice,” said Chris Porter, who leads the D.C. snow team. “I think we’re in a great position to start the season.”
Porter said crews plan to pre-treat roads with a mix of beet juice and brine in alleys, where the lack of prep had previously created icy conditions for trash removal crews.
“We’re salting roads and we don’t necessarily need to,” Shorter said.
Recent changes to the de-icer used on sidewalks is less aggravating to animal paws.
“We do use pet friendly de-icers on our D.C. sidewalks, on the bridges, in high pedestrian areas,” said Rob Marsili of D.C. Public Works.
It’s safer for plants, too.
“It’s more of a mag mix, and it doesn’t harm the pet paws like straight sodium chloride would,” Marsili said.
City officials want residents to look for environmentally friendly de-icers to use around their homes.
