If your tap water has seemed a little saltier lately, winter weather may be to blame. As plows and crews spread millions of tons of road salt to keep highways passable, some of that salt is washing into rivers, lakes and aquifers that communities rely on for drinking water. Scientists and water utilities across the U.S. say seasonal spikes in salinity are becoming more common as heavy winter storms prompt widespread use of de‑icing salt. Meltwater carries the salt into nearby waterways, where