Aid_Content Page_Lead Service Line LSL Replacements

Lead Service Line (LSL) Replacements

Removing lead service lines is one way to minimize the potential for lead to get into your drinking water. The Wisconsin DNR Bureau of Drinking Water & Groundwater provides information regarding the concerns of lead in drinking water.

Funding options for lead service line replacement

Options for funding the replacement of lead service lines (LSLs) include:

  • Wisconsin DNR Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) provides funding to municipalities for replacing LSLs under the control of the municipality.
  • Wisconsin DNR Private LSL Replacement Program previously provided funding to municipalities to assist in their efforts of replacing LSLs under the control of private property owners. Current funding for private and public LSL replacements is available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
  • Wisconsin Community Development Block Grant Revolving Loan Fund Program provides funding to low to moderate income (LMI) households and landlords who rent to LMI households for housing repairs, includes lead lines and plumbing.
  • Section 196.372 of the Wisconsin Statutes authorizes water public utilities to provide financial assistance to the owner of property to which water utility service is provided for the purpose of assisting the owner in replacing customer-side lead-containing service lines.

PSC APPROVAL FOR CUSTOMER-SIDE LSL REPLACEMENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Statute requires that the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) review an application from a water public utility to determine if the proposed financing program administered by the water public utility is “unjust, unreasonable, or unfairly discriminatory,” see ss. 196.37, 196.372, and 196.20, Wis. Stats. Learn more about this application and review on PSC’s LSL Replacement page.

LSL PROGRAM UPDATES

Year three of the BIL LSL Replacement funding will be incorporated into the regular SDWLP State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025 funding cycle. A similar approach is planned for each of the following years of BIL funding.

SFY 2025 Application deadline

Submit SFY 2025 SDWLP Applications for LSL projects though the online system by July 1, 2024. Note: When a deadline falls on a weekend or legal holiday, that deadline is extended to the next business day, per s. 990.001(4), Wis. Stats.

To help applicants through the application process, information, instructions, and guidance documents are on the Online Systems page.

SFY 2026 Intent to Apply deadline

Submit SFY 2026 SDWLP notices of Intent to Apply (ITA) with Priority Evaluation & Ranking Formula (PERF) information through the online system by October 31, 2024.

STAY INFORMED

Sign up for Environmental Loans newsletters to get updates about the LSL program, BIL requirements and related topics.

Concerns about lead and partial lead service line replacements

New national research on lead in drinking water has raised concerns within DNR regarding the potential for increased lead levels when partial LSL replacement occurs. The Department is advising that municipalities replace lead service lines in their entirety – partially replacing lead service lines can increase lead levels in homes. Visit the DNR Drinking Water & Groundwater Bureau's Drinking Water & Lead Web page for more information on lead in drinking water.

Infographic of meter, service line, curb stop, service line, and water main. The private property owner is responsible for the service line from the curb stop to the home (this includes all plumbing except for the water meter inside the property). The municipality is responsible for the service line from the water main to the curb stop.
In most Wisconsin municipalities, the private property owner is responsible for the service line from the curb stop to the home (this includes all plumbing except for the water meter inside the property). The municipality is responsible for the service line from the water main to the curb stop. View larger image

Lead pipe waste management

What to do with lead pipes after they are removed from service:

The Department recommends lead pipe materials removed from water services be managed through reclamation rather than disposal. A provision in ch. NR 661.02(3)(c), Wis. Admin. Code allows for management of what would otherwise be waste scrap metal to be managed as a solid waste provided the scrap metal is reclaimed.

Municipalities are encouraged to carefully evaluate scrap dealers who might take this waste to ensure the lead pipe materials will be properly recycled. Recycled lead can be put back into use through lead-acid batteries, lead shielding and other valuable uses.

If a municipality chooses to dispose of the lead materials, it will be necessary to characterize the waste to determine whether it exhibits a hazardous characteristic for lead. Lead pipe materials would likely fail TCLP for lead and would then need to be managed as a hazardous waste. Lead pipe materials determined to be nonhazardous could be disposed of in a solid waste landfill.

Waste determinations

For more information on waste determinations, please contact your DNR regional hazardous waste management specialist.

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Additional resources

Service Line Inventory Guidance - Revised Lead and Copper Rule

Visit EPA’s Revised Lead and Copper Rule page for information on helping water systems comply with the January 15, 2021 Lead and Copper Rule Revisions requirement to prepare and maintain an inventory of service line materials by October 16, 2024. The following documents can also assist public water systems (municipalities) with reporting private-side lead or galvanized service lines to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, which is an eligibility requirement to apply for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for lead service line inventory work and replacements (both public and private):

Funding and Technical Resources for LSL Replacement in Small and Disadvantaged Communities

The EPA developed the Funding and Technical Resources for Lead Service Line Replacement in Small and Disadvantaged Communities guide to help small and disadvantaged communities identify potential federal funding sources for LSL replacement and technical assistance related to LSL replacement.

Wisconsin resource communities for LSL replacements

The document, Resource Communities for Lead Service Line (LSL) Replacements, provides contact information for Wisconsin municipalities with LSL projects. The municipal contacts may answer your LSL questions and provide insights into LSL difficulties, such as ordinances, small community issues, inventory, Environmental Review process, technical issues, effective customer communications, websites, and more.

Toolkit from the Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Collaborative

The LSLR Collaborative released a new toolkit for utilities, public health officials, and local leaders to tackle lead pipes in their communities. The online toolkit includes a roadmap for getting started; suggested practices to identify and remove lead service lines in a safe, equitable and cost-effective manner; policies that federal and state leaders could adopt to support local efforts; and links to additional resources that may be helpful when developing local programs.

WISCONSIN CDBG - REVOLVING LOAN FUND PROGRAM

The Wisconsin Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program provides financial assistance to low to moderate income (LMI) households and landlords who rent to LMI households for housing repairs, includes lead lines and plumbing. Visit CDBG-RLF Program for eligible activities and more information.

NSF

NSF International has received many requests for information on which filters are certified for lead reduction and any limitations in the use of these filters, see Certified Product Listings for Lead Reduction.

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC)

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

WISCONSIN DNR BUREAU OF DRINKING WATER & GROUNDWATER

Contact information
For information on this topic, contact:
Kate Leja-Brennan, lead LSL project manager, and Noah Balgooyen, SDWLP coordinator

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