Geneva was one of 90 communities in the United States and Canada to be named a 2015 Safe and Sustainable Snowfighting Award winner from the Salt Institute.

The City has received national recognition for the third consecutive year for excellence in environmental consciousness and effective management in the storage of winter road salt.

Geneva again earned high marks on the Salt Institute's checklist that graded safety and service, equipment, materials usage, snow plowing performance, tactical operations before and during a storm, storage and safety, and environmental measures.

The City put those procedures into practice in 2015 when 19 inches of snow fell Feb. 1-2, the fifth worst storm on record for the Chicago region. Overall for the season, the Public Works team plowed more than 40 inches of snow during 18 various winter weather events last year. Plow operators used 2,000 tons of salt to keep Geneva's 244 lane miles safe for motorists.

To learn more about the City's snow removal operations, watch our "At Your Service" video on the City's YouTube Channel.

Having enough road salt on hand before storms hit requires advance planning and facilities that provide safe and efficient storage, according to the Salt Institute. The winning communities must also display proper maintenance and good housekeeping practices.

The Salt Institute is a non-profit trade association dedicated to advancing the many benefits of salt, particularly to ensure winter roadway safety, quality water and healthy nutrition. For more information, visit the group’s website at www.saltinstitute.org.