Warmer weather brings relief, and some concerns, as Philadelphia snow begins to melt

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Warmer temperatures offered a welcome break from days of freezing weather on Wednesday, melting snow and ice across Philadelphia and leaving puddles along city streets.

But the thaw also raised concerns about the environmental impact of the large amounts of road salt used during the recent cold snap.

Residents said the warmer air was a noticeable change.

"I always come out this door to look out, and I can feel just that the glass was warmer. It just felt so good," said South Philadelphia resident Suzanne Rossomando. "I said, 'Thank God we finally have some sun and I can go out with just a light jacket.' What a difference."

Madison Drager of Washington Square West said sidewalks are "definitely looking and feeling better" as she went for a run along Boathouse Row.

"It's been really nice not to have to worry about slipping or running on a treadmill anymore because it's so much better to run outside," she said.

Some residents planned to help the melting process along.

"I'm gonna come out today and start chopping some of the ice away, which will help it make it break up a little bit better and faster," Rossomando said.

But others worry about what happens next as the snow turns to runoff.

"What I'm really worried about is that as that snow starts to melt, it's just going to turn into a concentrated brine that's ultimately going to go down our storm drains and into our streams," said Dr. Steven Goldsmith, an environmental science professor at Villanova University and a committee member at the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.

Goldsmith said excess salt can harm aquatic life in our rivers and streams and may affect human health, particularly for people with high blood pressure.

"I've even teamed up with Aqua PA, and we've actually measured, we've looked at their long-term data set of how road salt is entering the drinking water supply for the region. And it's rather troubling. The salt concentrations are increasing over time," he said.

Goldsmith encouraged residents to sweep up leftover salt to keep it from washing into storm drains.

PennDOT also said it is working to clear storm drains to prevent flooding on major roadways and to repair potholes that form during the freeze-thaw cycle.

The Philadelphia Office of Clean and Green Initiatives said, "As City forces and partnering agencies continue to respond to the winter storm, crews will monitor areas for any potential flooding. This includes the Water Department inspecting sewer inlets. The goal remains to ensure all areas of the city are safe and passable. Any sightings of streets flooding or unclear inlets should be reported to 311."