Council Votes to Delay Mandatory Lead Service Lateral Replacements for One Year

The Common Council approved an ordinance on March 18 delaying implementation of the mandatory component of the city’s lead service lateral replacement program until the subsequent year.

Staff explained that a recent re‑evaluation of property assessments combined with the special assessments associated with mandatory lateral replacement could create a significant near‑term burden for some property owners. To ease that impact, the ordinance postpones the mandatory requirement for 2025 and schedules the mandatory phase to begin in 2026, with a plan to align road special assessments and lead service charges so property owners receive a consolidated statement of anticipated costs.

Staff described an implementation timeline in which the road special assessment work would be built in 2026 and billed in 2027, while lead replacement construction would be planned in 2027 and the special assessment for lead replacement would be due in 2028. Staff also encouraged voluntary participation in the program in 2025 and said the city would continue outreach and letters encouraging owners to take advantage of the voluntary replacement program this year.

Why it matters: mandatory lateral replacement and the associated special assessments can add thousands of dollars of costs to individual property owners in a short period; delaying the mandatory phase gives owners extra time to plan and allows the city to coordinate road and water projects for more transparent billing.

Council action: motion passed on voice vote; staff will continue outreach and provide more detailed notices to affected properties.

Ending: the mandatory phase is rescheduled to begin in 2026 under the adopted ordinance and staff will present coordinated timelines and billing schedules to affected property owners.

Speakers quoted: public works staff (presentation); council members who asked clarifying questions.