Carmel’s “Brine Patrol,” which has been extremely quiet this winter, was out in force last Friday with snow in the forecast.

Whenever snow or ice is predicted, Carmel highway workers load a tank mounted on the rear of a pick-up truck with a solution of salt and water that is attached to a spraying system. The truck proceeds slowly along each of the town roads in greater Mahopac-Carmel and Mahopac Falls, spraying the solution on the cold blacktop.

Highway Superintendent Michael Simone said the results were amazing: “Brine melts anywhere from a quarterinch to half-inch of ice and snow before it has an opportunity to accumulate. The salt stripes give our highway workers a head start before the bad weather takes hold. Most of the problems arise when roads become covered with ice and snow during the early stages of a storm. Since our salting, sanding and plowing routes take up to two hours to complete, the brine gives us a little extra time to treat the roads.”

Four brine trucks comprise the “Brine Patrol.” Simone said the cost to the municipality was minimal: “Brine is salt and water. The water comes from a sewer plant and the salt costs 4 cents a gallon. Multiply that by 2,000 gallons used to treat the entire town and the cost is only $80, which is a pretty cheap method to treat ice and snow.”