City of Milwaukee replaces thousands of lead service lines

It’s part of a larger program to replace 65,000 service lines by 2037.

Milwaukee Water Works announced Tuesday, May 13, 2025, 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 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 said the way to apply is on its website.