Albert Lea receives grant to reduce chloride pollution
City News March 31, 2026The City of Albert Lea has received a Chloride Reduction Grant $500,000 from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to help a local industry switch to a water-softening system that uses less salt.
Chloride is a form of salt and thus can be harmful to fresh-water fish and other aquatic species. The city collects and treats wastewater from homes and businesses, and then discharges it to the Shell Rock River. With no feasible way to remove chloride from wastewater during the treatment process, the only way to reduce this pollution is to reduce it from sources such as industries and homes.
The grant will help the industry, Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, and city reduce the chloride discharged from the wastewater treatment plant to the Shell Rock River, thus helping protect aquatic life in the river.
Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen has been proactive in its efforts to reduce chloride in its wastewater. However, the high cost of transitioning from ion exchange water softening technology – that uses chloride – to a more environmentally-friendly reverse osmosis (RO) system has been a significant barrier. The newly-awarded grant will support the installation of a RO system, with the state grant providing $500,000, Mrs. Gerry’s contributing $192,900 and the City of Albert Lea contributing the remaining $192,900.
This grant support Albert Lea’s environmental efforts, reflecting a community-wide commitment to sustainable water management and resources protection.
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