Milwaukee Lead Service Line Replacement Program
Milwaukee Waterworks serves about 626,000 people and reported 65,331 lead service lines that must be replaced, out of 160,819 lines, in EPA's Q3 2026 inventory, plus 26,341 lines of unknown material. Here's who pays to replace yours, what it costs, and how to sign up.
Owner pays the lesser of actual or average cost
Milwaukee Water Works replaces lead lines in priority areas and planned up to 5,000 replacements in 2026. Through the Owner Request Program, 200 properties a year are chosen starting in 2026, and owners pay the actual private-side cost or the city's average, whichever is less; the five-year average is $3,454. A council committee unanimously backed an ordinance change to eliminate the owner's share, which would make replacement free once adopted.
How to get it
- Check your address on Milwaukee Water Works' lead service line map.
- Apply to the Owner Request Program if your block isn't scheduled.
- Ask whether the owner share has been eliminated before you pay.
Sources: city.milwaukee.gov, tmj4.com
Lead lines in Milwaukee
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result EPA lists for this system is 5.3 parts per billion (2023-06 to 2023-09). Under the new federal rule, the action level drops to 10 ppb in 2027. Galvanized lines count if they ever sat downstream of a lead pipe, because they can hold lead particles. Unknown lines must be identified by the utility, and many turn out to be lead.
How Milwaukee compares: it ranks #5 of 7,556 U.S. water systems and #1 of 258 in Wisconsin for lead and galvanized lines. 40.6% of its service lines need replacing, compared with 16.1% across Wisconsin. See the national ranking.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory, Q3 2026 · PWSID WI2410100
Milwaukee lead service line map: check your address
Every water utility had to publish an inventory of its service lines, and most offer an address lookup map. Start with Milwaukee Waterworks's official lead program page, which links to its lookup or explains how to get your line checked. The status will be lead, galvanized requiring replacement, non-lead or unknown. If it's unknown, you can usually check the pipe yourself and send the utility a photo.
Communities and ZIP codes served
ZIP codes: 53203, 53204, 53205, 53206, 53207, 53208, 53210, 53212, 53215, 53216, 53219, 53233
Who pays in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin lets each utility decide. Under a 2017 law, utilities can offer grants or loans to owners for the private side with Public Service Commission approval. The DNR gives municipalities principal forgiveness (money that does not have to be repaid) for private-side work, and since July 2025 state law also allows forgiving loans for lead line projects. Homeowners cannot apply to the DNR directly; the money flows through the city.
The law: Wis. Stat. 196.372 (2017 Act 137). Mandatory? No statewide mandate, but some cities, including Appleton and Milwaukee, require replacement by local ordinance. Funding: Wisconsin DNR Safe Drinking Water Loan Program, lead service line principal forgiveness.
Sources: dnr.wisconsin.gov, codes.findlaw.com
Nationwide, EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require most utilities to replace every lead and galvanized-requiring-replacement line by December 31, 2037, starting November 1, 2027. Utilities must mail a notice every year to each home with a lead, galvanized or unknown line. See the federal timeline.
Local cost: Milwaukee's five-year average private-side cost is $3,454.
What would you pay?
Many utility loans are 0% (enter 0). Private loans run higher. Your real price depends on how far the house sits from the street, digging versus trenchless methods, permits and restoration. This is an estimate, not a quote.
Not covered, or can't wait?
Get up to 3 quotes from licensed plumbers who replace service lines in Milwaukee.
Common questions
Is lead service line replacement free in Milwaukee?
Not fully free; it's a cost share (Owner pays the lesser of actual or average cost). Milwaukee Water Works replaces lead lines in priority areas and planned up to 5,000 replacements in 2026.
Is lead service line replacement mandatory in Milwaukee?
Yes: Milwaukee's ordinance requires replacement of the private side when the city replaces the public side.
How much does it cost to replace a lead service line in Milwaukee?
Most private-side replacements cost about $4,000 to $10,000, and long or difficult lines can run higher. Price depends on the distance from the street to your house, whether the contractor digs a trench or pulls the new pipe through (trenchless), permits, and restoring your lawn, sidewalk or basement wall.
How do I know if my home has a lead service line?
Look up your address on Milwaukee Waterworks's service line inventory or check the letter it mailed you. You can also check the pipe where it enters your basement, usually near the meter: lead is dull gray, soft, and turns shiny silver when you scratch it with a key, and a magnet won't stick. Galvanized steel is gray too, but a magnet sticks to it. See our step-by-step guide.
What if I can't afford to replace my lead line?
Ask Milwaukee Waterworks about income-based help first; federal money often makes replacement free for low-income owners. Other options are utility payment plans, 0% city loans, state revolving fund programs, property tax assessments and home improvement loans. Our guide on paying for replacement lists them.
Who owns the water service line?
In most U.S. cities the utility owns the pipe from the water main to the curb stop or property line, and the property owner owns the rest, into the house. Some utilities, including Minneapolis and many in St. Louis County, treat the whole line as the owner's. Federal rules now require utilities to replace the whole lead line, not just their part.
Other Wisconsin programs
Racine ✓Wauwatosa ✓West Allis ✓Oshkosh ✓Sheboygan ✓Superior ✓Wausau ✓Beloit ✓Neenah ✓Fond Du Lac ✓
Something out of date? Report a change. We recheck program terms at least once a year.