Wausau Residents Who Still Have Lead Service Lines Will Have Them Replaced at No Cost

Friday, October 13th, 2023 -- 10:01 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) Wausau residents who still get their water through lead service lines will not be on the hook for any costs associated with replacing them.

According to Mike Leischner with WSAU, Shawn Kerachsky of Community Infrastructure Partners has been working with Mayor Katie Rosenberg and Public Works Director Eric Lindman to secure funding for the five-year plan, he credits both of them with being on the front-end of the national movement away from lead pipes.

"As other cities and municipalities in the State of Wisconsin are a little bit slower to mobilize, there's an opportunity for Wausau to get even more than they may have been originally intended to get the way it's mapped out."

He says there's also a caveat in some of the federal funding saying that homeowners need to have their costs covered first. "Regardless of income to the homeowner, there cannot be any cost born directly by them to pay for the private side being done."

He says that means all costs, homeowners won't be responsible for things like yard or landscaping restoration. "It's the entirety of the process to replace the lines, whether it's the sidewalk, whether it's tree removal, whether it's landscaping, no cost to the homeowner directly."

He says early efforts will focus on homes near the Wisconsin River on both the east and west sides- especially in an area south of Stewart Avenue and downtown.

"Outreach is going to begin to those homeowners in the next few weeks. And that effort is going to happen from mid to late October all the way through mid March until we get as many consents as wee need to get that first pass done."

The city has about 8 thousand lead service lines still in use, Mayor Rosenberg has made replacing them one of her top priorities this year. She participated in a White House panel on the topic back in January, and has been working with local and national foundations to secure funding for the project.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.