Cost of snow removal beginning to mount for communities

Communities keeping an eye on snow removal budgets

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Communities throughout southeast Wisconsin spent thousands of dollars more on snow removal with the latest storm. But a majority of the communities report they have plenty left in their snow removal budgets for the rest of the season.

Milwaukee's Department of Public Works has spread an estimated 34,515 tons of salt on city streets since the beginning of the year. It has also spent $2.8 million of its $7.9 million annual budget.

In Washington County, assistant highway commissioner Chris Walter says his department is about halfway through its seasonal salt supply. That is pretty much what is expected at this point in the season.

Overtime pay, Walter adds, is also about normal despite a recent surge.

"Last two weeks, we had 970 hours of overtime, which has been a little bit more than usual, but, you know, that’s, that’s what the time of year is, so that’s the kind of hours we’ve had to put-in," said Walter.