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Walworth outlines plan to replace up to 50 lead and galvanized water service lines; homeowners offered payment options
Summary
At a June 8 public hearing, Village of Walworth engineers outlined a program to replace up to 50 lead and galvanized private and public water service lines, confirmed 10–11 lines after potholing and said homeowners may pay up front or amortize costs on property tax bills over 10 years.
The Village of Walworth held a public hearing June 8 on a program to replace lead and galvanized water service lines in the village, a step officials said is aimed at removing remaining corrosion-prone connections that can contribute to water-supply risks.
Village engineer Scott Hartay told trustees the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provides funding for the private-side portion of the repairs and that the Village is targeting the replacement of up to 50 service lines. Hartay said the DNR’s timeline gives the Village 10 years to remove identified lead and galvanized lines; village staff began preparatory work in 2025. Potholing of the initial list has confirmed 10–11 properties with lead or galvanized materials, Hartay said.
Hartay and engineer David Hemmerich said homeowners will get a final special-charge notice when the work for their property is complete. Homeowners can pay the charge up front or elect to have it placed on their property tax bill and amortized over a 10-year period with interest; they will be able to pay off the balance early if they choose. Construction and resident-notice steps are contingent on the final list of affected properties.
Board members and residents asked operational questions about the work. Hartay said inside plumbing work will be done by Southern Lakes Plumbing and outside work by Pipe Strong; the contractor and village staff are responsible for utility-location notifications (the state’s diggers hotline), and the Village will replace sidewalks disturbed by construction. He confirmed meters will be replaced as part of the project and that the home shutoff (main valve) will be replaced only if needed. The Village said it supplies replacement homes with Brita filters after work is completed.
Resident Jack Meredith of Immanuel United Church of Christ and Gary Ruskell asked for clarifications about scope and cost allocation; Hartay said the original homeowner cost estimate on the initial list will be reduced by available DNR funding and that the final special-charge notice will reflect those reductions. Hartay recommended additional potholing ahead of the larger program so the Village knows the true count of lead or galvanized services before full construction.
Next steps include finalizing the list of affected properties, sending the special-charge notices, obtaining homeowner contracts and scheduling construction. Village staff said the final special-charge notices will go out after project completion steps are confirmed.
