City of Milwaukee replaces thousands of lead service lines
City of Milwaukee replaces thousands of lead service lines
It’s part of a larger program to replace 65,000 service lines by 2037.
Updated: 12:52 PM CDT May 13, 2025
CONTAMINATION SINCE THE START OF THIS SEMESTER. NEW THIS MORNING, MILWAUKEE WATER WORKS JUST ANNOUNCED IT’S REPLACED 10,000 NEW LEAD SERVICE LINES. 12 NEWS ZOE HENRY IS LIVE NEAR 21ST. AND SCOTT AND ZOE. CITY LEADERS SAY THIS MARKS A MILESTONE IN A MUCH LARGER PROJECT TO KEEP MILWAUKEE’S DRINKING WATER CLEAN. RIGHT. GERRON. SO WE’LL BE SEEING A LOT MORE OF THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THROUGH 2037. THE CITY IS PLANNING TO REPLACE THE REMAINING 65,000 LEAD SERVICE LINES WITH COPPER. YOU CAN SEE IT DOWN IN THIS HOLE HERE. NOW, THE CITY SAYS THE PROGRAM INCLUDES TWO STANDARD COMPONENTS STANDARD REPLACEMENTS, WHICH ENTAILS A FULL REPLACEMENT OF LEAD SERVICE LINES FOR CHILD CARE FACILITIES, LEAKS OR FAILURES, AND SOME PLANNED PROJECTS. NOW, THE OTHER COMPONENT IS A. PRIORITIZATION PROGRAM THAT PLACES THE SERVICE LINES IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE GREATEST NEED. NOW, TO DETERMINE A NEED IN THIS PROGRAM LOOKS AT THREE FACTORS BLOOD, LEAD LEVELS IN CHILDREN, NEIGHBORHOOD SCORE FOR AREA DEPRIVATION INDEX AND LEAD SERVICE LINE DENSITY. JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS AGO, IN 2023, WE WERE REPLACING ABOUT 1000 LEAD SERVICE LINES ANNUALLY. IN 2024, THANKS TO THE EXPANDED RESOURCES, SMART PLANNING AND STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, WE MORE THAN DOUBLED THAT PACE, REPLACING MORE THAN 2700 LEAD SERVICE LINES. SO, ZOE CONSTRUCTION IS ALREADY UNDERWAY FOR SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. IN THE 15 OTHER ELIGIBLE AREAS. PROPERTY OWNERS ACTUALLY ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND AGAIN, THE CITY SAYS THIS PROGRAM IS FREE. YOU JUST GO ON TO THE CITY’S WEBSITE TO APPLY. 12 NEWS ZOE HENRY REPORTING LIVE FOR US THIS MORNIN
City of Milwaukee replaces thousands of lead service lines
It’s part of a larger program to replace 65,000 service lines by 2037.
Updated: 12:52 PM CDT May 13, 2025
Milwaukee Water Works announced Tuesday that it has replaced 10,000 new lead service lines. City leaders said this marks a milestone in a much larger project to keep Milwaukee’s drinking water clean. By the year 2037, the city of Milwaukee said it’s planning to replace the remaining 65,000 lead service lines with copper. Standard replacements, which entail a full replacement of lead service lines for child care facilities, leaks or failures, and some planned projects.The other component is a prioritization program that replaces the service lines in neighborhoods with the greatest need. Milwaukee Water Works said there are worries about federal funding.”Well, there’s certainly concern related to federal funding. What we have heard to date is there’s no impact on the federal funding that was allocated specifically for lead service line replacements. And that was through President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law. It runs from 2021 through 2026, but there’s going to be federal funding available longer than 2026,” Waterworks Superintendent Patrick Pauly said.The program is free to eligible property owners. The city says the way to apply is on its website.
Milwaukee Water Works announced Tuesday that it has replaced 10,000 new lead service lines. City leaders said this marks a milestone in a much larger project to keep Milwaukee’s drinking water clean.
By the year 2037, the city of Milwaukee said it’s planning to replace the remaining 65,000 lead service lines with copper. Standard replacements, which entail a full replacement of lead service lines for child care facilities, leaks or failures, and some planned projects.
The other component is a prioritization program that replaces the service lines in neighborhoods with the greatest need. Milwaukee Water Works said there are worries about federal funding.
“Well, there’s certainly concern related to federal funding. What we have heard to date is there’s no impact on the federal funding that was allocated specifically for lead service line replacements. And that was through President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law. It runs from 2021 through 2026, but there’s going to be federal funding available longer than 2026,” Waterworks Superintendent Patrick Pauly said.
The program is free to eligible property owners. The city says the way to apply is on its website.