Why Shovel When You Can Melt? Councilor Wants Newport to Consider Buying Snow Dragon

Newport was buried under plenty of snow this winter, and snow removal issues have plagued the city for weeks as pedestrians have been forced to walk in the street, businesses have lost parking spaces and sidewalk access, to name just a few issues.

It has even impacted the upcoming Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which for the first time in many years will feature snow along with parade goers on the side of the road.

The state and municipalities stopped dumping snow into Narragansett Bay several years ago in an effort to reduce pollution and prevent beach closures in the summer. And it’s 2015 — we learned generations ago that pouring oil, chemicals and toxic waste into the bay hurts much more than the short-term pain of having a lot of snow on the ground.

Imagine if instead of shuffling the snow from one place to another, the city could just melt the problem away?

That’s a question Newport City Councilor Kate Leonard wants city administration to explore.

On Wednesday, the City Council will take up a resolution that asks the city administration to “investigate the cost of purchase, maintenance and operation of the Snow Dragon machinery being used in other municipalities.”

A Snow Dragon Snowmelter is a machine that is marketed as “the beginning of a revolution in the snow removal process” by its manufacturer, Snow Dragon Snowmelters.

The machines work by melting snow deposited onto a melting pan that sits above a hot water bath.

A burner heats up exchanger tubes, which heats the water that is then sprayed over the snow deposited into the unit. As the snow melts, it flows down through a series of screens and filters to clean the water before it is discharged under the melter, which can be parked over a storm drain or catch basin.

The company promises that the units are effective at removing debris like sand and bits of asphalt as well as oil and other non-soluble products. Once isolated, they can be disposed of safely and in accordance with the Clean Water Act and other regulations, the company claims.

The company sells a four different units, ranging in size from the 18-ton per hour SND580, to the SND5400, a behemoth that can melt 180 tons of snow per hour and measures 68 feet long.

A Snow Dragon can cost more than $100,000, so it would be a big investment for the city.

But Leonard said the investment might be worth it considering the harsh winter we just had.

“This has been a very bad winter with the amount of snow that has fallen. Due to RIDEM and Federal regulations, it is important that the city look at all options for disposing of this accumulated snow,” Leonard said. “This resolution asks Administration to come back to the Council with Snow Dragon costs, either to lease or to purchase; warranties, effectiveness, etc. Council can then make a decision on whether or not this equipment is cost effective for our use.”

Photo: Snow Dragon Snowmelters