Milwaukee committee hears detailed update on lead service line replacements and testing; owner share set at $3,454 for 2026

MilwaukeeWater Works staff briefed the cityPublic Works Committee on the lead service line replacement program, including an updated owner cost-share number and the results of semiannual water testing.

The department proposed setting the 2026 average private-side replacement charge at $3,454, Patrick Pauley, Waterworks superintendent, said. He told the committee that the full-service replacement cost the department cites is about $7,389 — a figure the department said is below many national comparators — and that the lower owner-share number reflects trenchless installation methods and competitive contract pricing.

Why it matters: City testimony said roughly 65,000 lead laterals remain and the program plans about 5,000 replacements in 2026 (3,800 prioritized packages and additional base-program work for leaks, failures and child-care sites). The Environmental Protection Agencys Lead and Copper Rule revisions (LCRI) require full replacement by 2037; staff said the department will apply for additional state funding in June and that $50.5 million in federal funding already awarded (with $19.3 million in principal forgiveness) will cover private-side replacements for 2026 and potentially some 2027 work.

Staff described the citys testing protocol and results. Michelle, water quality manager for Milwaukee Water Works, summarized sampling procedures used in the review period and the departments interpretation of elevated results. The department uses a three-bottle sampling method for most post-replacement testing (bottle 1: first draw after pipes sit 6+ hours; bottle 2: 45 seconds; bottle 3: three minutes). Michelle said most of the higher results observed in the JulytoDecember review were bottle-1 readings, which often indicate internal plumbing or construction residue rather than the public-side service line.

"We tested 329 samples from almost 200 properties," Michelle said, adding that average results for that period were below 3 parts per billion across samples and that retests after recommended flushing returned low results. The department reported 17 samples from 12 properties above 10 parts per billion in that period; staff said many of those elevated values were reduced on retest after the household performed the recommended flushing.

Committee members pressed staff on installation methods and on the decision not to remove buried lead pipe completely. Pauley described the common trenchless technique that installs a new service adjacent to the existing pipe with minimal excavation, reducing cost and neighborhood disruption. He said removing and trenching old lead lines would add an estimated minimum of 50% to project costs and create private-property excavation and liability concerns.

"It would cost more to trench and remove that than yes," Pauley said, noting the department typically removes the lead at the street connection and at the connection in the home and may collect small amounts of recovered material for recycling.

Staff also advised household-level mitigation steps. Michelle recommended residents flush cold water for a few minutes after water has sat overnight and follow department guidance on removing aerators and retesting when advised.

What the committee did: Alderwoman Larissa Taylor moved to place the semiannual report on file; there were no objections and the motion was ordered.

The department said it will continue prioritization packages, keep outreach to neighborhoods and pursue additional funding requests to meet the EPA timeline.