Several cities in Northeast Ohio are taking measures to conserve salt due to a shortage the region is experiencing.
Cargill — the company that supplies salt to many communities in the region — confirmed to News 5 that, due to the number of snowstorms recently, it has seen a surge in orders that "temporarily constrained" its inventory.
A statement from a company spokesperson said, in part:
We remain committed to supporting our customers throughout the winter months and are working with them to prioritize shipments so that public safety is not affected. We are sorry for any delayed shipments and are working as quickly and safely as we can to produce and ship more product.
City officials from North Royalton said they were enacting salt conservation measures due to the shortage. Hills, intersections and school zones will remain a priority, officials said.
The City of Macedonia also warned residents that their community was experiencing a shortage.
In a statement, the City of Cleveland said that, while it is also experiencing a deficit, it is receiving 500 tons of salt from Cargill daily.
"Like most of the Northeast Ohio municipalities, the City of Cleveland has a lower than usual amount of salt in storage," the statement said. "However, we do have enough salt on hand for two snow events. The City is receiving 500 tons of salt daily from Cargill, our primary provider, and reached out to other vendors to replenish our salt reserves."
The Ohio Department of Transportation told News 5 earlier this week that it is not experiencing a shortage statewide. The agency shifts resources depending on what areas need it.
