A new Villanova University peer-reviewed study found what is impacting the health of East Branch Brandywine Creek, writes Zoë Read for the WHYY. 

According to the study published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, road salts are increasing salinity and metal concentrations in the Chester County creek that supplies drinking water for Downingtown and West Chester. 

The researchers sampled 13 locations of the creek over a 12-month period to evaluate what specifically causes salty water within a smaller watershed. 

“If we know the cause, then we can say, ‘All right, do we need to limit development in a certain way? Do we need to change our road salt application rates before it gets as salty as our more urban streams?’” said researcher Steven Goldsmith, an environmental science professor at Villanova University. 

The study also found that wastewater effluent caused copper and zinc to appear in the water and that agricultural areas had higher arsenic levels due to the use of pesticides throughout the years. 

While the study did not assess impacts on wildlife or drinking water quality, it did find that road salts can reduce oxygen levels fish rely on to survive. 

Read more about the Villanova University study on the East Branch Brandywine Creek in the WHYY. 

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