Sheboygan Lead Service Line Replacement Program
Sheboygan Water Utilities serves about 49,931 people and reported 4,811 lead and 468 galvanized service lines that must be replaced, out of 16,446 lines, in EPA's Q3 2026 inventory, plus 736 lines of unknown material. Here's who pays to replace yours, what it costs, and how to sign up.
Grant up to 50%, plus a loan option
Sheboygan Water Utility's program can give eligible owners a grant of up to 50% of the customer-side replacement cost, subject to a cap, with the rest paid by the owner directly or through a city loan repaid as a special charge (an ordinance enabling that was advanced in December 2025). Local reporting put a typical replacement at $5,000 or more.
How to get it
- Contact Sheboygan Water Utility to confirm your line material.
- Ask for the current grant cap and the loan terms.
- Apply before you hire a contractor.
Sources: cpo.soar.com, whbl.com
Lead lines in Sheboygan
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result EPA lists for this system is 2.2 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 Sheboygan compares: it ranks #92 of 7,556 U.S. water systems and #6 of 258 in Wisconsin for lead and galvanized lines. 32.1% 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 WI4600354
Sheboygan 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 Sheboygan Water Utilities'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.
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.
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 Sheboygan.
Common questions
Is lead service line replacement free in Sheboygan?
Not fully free; it's a cost share (50%). Sheboygan Water Utility's program can give eligible owners a grant of up to 50% of the customer-side replacement cost, subject to a cap, with the rest paid by the owner directly or through a city loan repaid as a special charge (an ordinance enabling that was advanced in December 2025).
Is lead service line replacement mandatory in Sheboygan?
No statewide mandate, but some cities, including Appleton and Milwaukee, require replacement by local ordinance.
How much does it cost to replace a lead service line in Sheboygan?
Sheboygan's program pays 50%. On a $7,500 job, that's $3,750 from the utility and $3,750 from you. 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 Sheboygan Water Utilities'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 Sheboygan Water Utilities 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
Milwaukee ✓Racine ✓Wauwatosa ✓West Allis ✓Oshkosh ✓Superior ✓Wausau ✓Beloit ✓Neenah ✓Fond Du Lac ✓
Something out of date? Report a change. We recheck program terms at least once a year.