BE READY FOR THIS WEEKEND. THE SALT PILE IN SCOTT TOWNSHIP, HUNDREDS OF TONS LESS THAN THE LEVEL OF SALT SUPPLY THE TOWNSHIP WANTS TO BE AT, BUT I’M TOLD THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. MEANWHILE, SEVERAL OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE SOUTH HILLS ARE FACING DELAYED SALT DELIVERIES. WE ARE STILL SHORT, ABOUT 200 TONS. HOWEVER, WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF DELIVERIES OVER THE PAST COUPLE DAYS, SO WE FEEL THAT WE ARE PREPARED FOR THE UPCOMING STORM, BUT WE STILL ARE WAITING FOR A COUPLE DELIVERIES FOR THIS WEEKEND’S STORM, SCOTT TOWNSHIP MANAGER DENISE FITZGERALD SAYS THEY WILL FOCUS ON PLOWING FIRST, THEN SALTING THE TOWNSHIPS. 39 MILES OF ROAD. RIVER FREEZING IS TO BLAME FOR THOSE DELAYED SALT DELIVERIES, ACCORDING TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHICAG. THAT’S THE SOUTH HILLS AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, WHICH IS MADE UP OF 23 COMMUNITIES IN THE SOUTH HILLS. THEY EXPECT ANOTHER 7500 TONS AT SOME POINT NEXT WEEK. THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME DELAYS IN THE RIVER SYSTEMS HERE, WITH A LOT OF FREEZING, SO IT’S REALLY UP IN THE AIR ABOUT WHICH DAY NEXT WEEK THAT 7500 TONS COMES IN. BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE QUITE A BIT MORE COMING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND BEING DELIVERED NEXT WEEK. PATRICK CONNORS EXPLAINING THE SALT COMES IN ON BARGES FROM LOUISIANA AND NEARLY 100 COMMUNITIES BETWEEN ALLEGHENY, BUTLER AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES RELY ON THE SAME SALT SUPPLIER. THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING EMERGENCIES RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO BE NOTIFIED WHETHER IT’S VIA PHONE CALL OR EMAIL SO WE CAN CONNECT THEM WITH COMPASS MINERALS AND TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH THIS STORM THIS WEEKEND. MEANTIME, FITZGERALD TAKING PRECAUTION IN THE EVENT THE STORM CAUSES POWER OUTAGES. WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR AND TEAM WHERE THEY WILL BE OPENING UP A WARMING CENTER AT OUR LODGE UP AT SCOTT PARK. WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE ROAD
South Hills communities await delayed salt supply as they prepare for weekend snowstorm
Updated: 8:18 PM EST Jan 22, 2026
Several communities in the South Hills are facing a limited salt supply and awaiting the next delivery.River freezing is to blame for those delayed salt deliveries, according to Patrick Conners, executive director of the South Hills Area Council of Governments (SHACOG), which is made up of 23 municipalities.“They expect another 7,500 tons at some point next week. They have experienced some delays in the river systems here with a lot of freezing, so it’s really up in the air about which day next week that 7,500 tons comes in, but we do anticipate quite a bit more coming out to our communities and being delivered next week,” Conners said.Scott Township is one of the communities impacted.“We are still short about 200 tons. However, we have received a lot of the deliveries over the past couple of days, so we feel that we are prepared for the upcoming storm, but we still are waiting for a couple deliveries,” Scott Township Manager Denise Fitzgerald said.For this weekend’s snowstorm, Fitzgerald said the township’s crews will focus on plowing first, then salting the township’s 39 miles of road.Conners said the salt comes in on barges from Louisiana, and nearly 100 communities between Allegheny, Butler and Washington counties rely on the same salt supplier.“Those communities that are experiencing emergencies right now, we need to be notified, whether it’s via phone call or email, so we can connect them with Compass Minerals, and to make sure they have enough to get through the storm this weekend,” Conner said.In the meantime, Scott Township is taking precautions in the event the storm causes power outages.“If we do have a large number of power outages in the township, we have an emergency management coordinator and team. They will be opening up a warming center at our lodge up at Scott Park. We will make sure that the road is cleared to go to the park in case of emergency,” Fitzgerald said.
SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
Several communities in the South Hills are facing a limited salt supply and awaiting the next delivery.
River freezing is to blame for those delayed salt deliveries, according to Patrick Conners, executive director of the South Hills Area Council of Governments (SHACOG), which is made up of 23 municipalities.
“They expect another 7,500 tons at some point next week. They have experienced some delays in the river systems here with a lot of freezing, so it’s really up in the air about which day next week that 7,500 tons comes in, but we do anticipate quite a bit more coming out to our communities and being delivered next week,” Conners said.
Scott Township is one of the communities impacted.
“We are still short about 200 tons. However, we have received a lot of the deliveries over the past couple of days, so we feel that we are prepared for the upcoming storm, but we still are waiting for a couple deliveries,” Scott Township Manager Denise Fitzgerald said.
For this weekend’s snowstorm, Fitzgerald said the township’s crews will focus on plowing first, then salting the township’s 39 miles of road.
Conners said the salt comes in on barges from Louisiana, and nearly 100 communities between Allegheny, Butler and Washington counties rely on the same salt supplier.
“Those communities that are experiencing emergencies right now, we need to be notified, whether it’s via phone call or email, so we can connect them with Compass Minerals, and to make sure they have enough to get through the storm this weekend,” Conner said.
In the meantime, Scott Township is taking precautions in the event the storm causes power outages.
“If we do have a large number of power outages in the township, we have an emergency management coordinator and team. They will be opening up a warming center at our lodge up at Scott Park. We will make sure that the road is cleared to go to the park in case of emergency,” Fitzgerald said.