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Where's the salt? Supply breakdown region by region

PITTSBURGH — Channel 11’s Jennifer Tomazic went on a mission Tuesday to find out many areas in the Channel 11 viewing area are dealing with in terms of salt supplies. She even tried finding salt to purchase at area hardware stores… and as it turns out, salt is hard to come by.

HAMPTON:

Tomazic stopped in Hampton and interviewed town officials there. She learned that a snow emergency was declared on Friday and crews only plowed and salted key areas Tuesday.

Hampton officials said they used 150 tons of salt overnight Monday and only have 600 tons of salt left. Ideally, officials said, they like to have 1,000 to 2,000 tons available.

Hampton Township still under snow emergency with dwindling salt supply. Have 600 tons; would like to have 1000. @WPXI pic.twitter.com/1MhwFdyphu

Hampton’s salt supplier is Morton Salt and Cargil. Officials said they’re expecting two to three truck loads to arrive Wednesday but aren’t sure they will actually arrive because of the weather.

SHALER:

Shaler was one of the first areas to report a salt shortage earlier this month.

Township officials said the problem, like most areas, is a supply-and-demand issue and not a money issue.

Township manager Tim Rogers said the area is still low on salt and the supply continues to dwindle. Tuesday morning, road crews focused on plowing and salting steep hills. American Rock Salt is one of Shaler’s two salt suppliers.

CITY OF PITTSBURGH:

Things were going well for the city of Pittsburgh until 7:30 a.m., city officials told Tomazic. That’s when road crews had to start all over again because a second round of snow slammed the area.

The good news: Officials told Tomazic that the city did receive a salt shipment on Tuesday right before the storm.

https://twitter.com/JenniferTomazic/status/435536258170114049

HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP:

Hempfield Township has only 20 tons of salt/anti-skid material remaining after the latest snowfall, officials said.
“We are hoping for deliveries from our supplier over the next few days with the warmer temperatures before the snow that is predicted for late this weekend,” Robert G. Gerlach, Emergency Management coordinator.

CHARLEROI:

Officials in Charleroi reported that the area wasn’t hit quite as hard as some others, so they didn’t have to put down any salt Tuesday morning.
A shipment of 100 tons arrived on Monday, and they’re expecting to get another 100 tons by the end of the week.
Charleroi officials are calling their supply “reasonable.”

STORE SALT SUPPLIES:

Finally, if you’re looking to buy salt for your personal driveway or sidewalk, good luck.

Allegheny County-

  • Hastings Hardware on Babcock Boulevard (Millvale): Out of salt since weekend. Should get a shipment today. Normally they don't run out, but has happened twice this winter.
  • Rollier Hardware on Washington Rd. (Mount Lebanon): Out of salt since weekend. Supposed to get some Tuesday. Have been having trouble all winter getting salt.
  •  Vogt True Value-E. on Carson St.(Pittsburgh): Trying to get salt. Getting creative and offering water softner pellets instead.

Butler County-

  •  Home Depot on Dutilh Rd. (Cranberry): Out of salt. It's ordered but not sure when they will get a shipment. Been out of calcium chloride for 4 weeks. Out of rock salt for a week.
  • Pfeifer Hardware on Marshall Way (Mars): Have some magnesium and ice melt. Focusing their salt to commercial drivers who plow areas like hospitals.

Westmoreland County-

  • Ace Hardware on Pittsburgh St. (Greensburg): Out of salt and ice melt for about 2 weeks. It's on order but they're not sure when they'll get it. Just started having issues getting it recently.
  • Lowes on Rt. 30 (Greensburg): Out of salt for a while. Don't have any other products. Not expecting any shipments anytime soon. Started having problems getting it just recently.

WPXI

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