MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) --- After shoveling or snowplowing their driveways and walkways, a lot of people spread a layer of salt to prevent icing after a storm like the one we had last night.

The Clean Lakes Alliance of Madison is pushing for people to be mindful of using too much salt on the pavement. 

Staff says once the salt reaches the drains in the road, it goes straight to the lakes without treatment. That can throw off the lake's ecosystem, hurting plant and fish life.

The Clean Lakes Alliance recommends shoveling as close to the ground as you can, and don't bother with salt if the temperatures is in the teens or lower.

If you do use salt, they say you don't need a lot. 

"It just takes a coffee cup of salt, so you can fill it and spread it out, so that shows you really how much you want to spread to cover your driveway," Adam Sodersten of Clean Lakes Alliance said. 

It is too late for this snowfall, but next time around you can make your own brine to treat your driveway and sidewalks ahead of time. You just need to mix two cups of salt with a gallon of hot water.