Milwaukee prepares to replace thousands of lead service lines in 2026

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The city of Milwaukee plans to remove up to 5,000 lead pipes in 2026, fueled by $15 billion in funding for nationwide lead pipe removals through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The city wants to remove an average of more than 5,000 lead pipes each year before 2037, however additional funding in coming years will be a question when federal dollars run dry.

The city, through its prioritization program, awarded several contracts to remove 3,000 lead pipes for more than $24.7 million in the fall of 2025. It also issued contracts for 800 service line replacements before the prioritization program for 2026, said Patrick Pauly, the superintendent of Milwaukee Water Works.

The city has 3,800 replacements under contract for 2026, he added. In addition to the prioritization program, a general replacement program will perform replacements due to leaks, for childcare facilities and water main and pavement replacement projects. There are around 200 replacements under the general program, Pauly said.

Working with local unions, contractors, employment agencies and WRTP | BIG STEP, the city will have crews out in the north and south sides and the near north and near south sides, Pauly said. Water Works has already started outreach, and crews will work neighborhood by neighborhood until every service line is replaced, he added.

The city of Milwaukee has 40% of lead service lines in the state of Wisconsin, Pauly said. Lead can occur in drinking water in older cities and homes, and can have significant effects on children, such as damage to the nervous system, slowed growth, hearing loss and lost function of blood cells.

The number of lead service lines replacements in Milwaukee has been rising year after year.

In 2023, Milwaukee completed 1,100 replacements, and in 2024 it completed 2,700 replacements, Pauly said. The goal for 2025 was 3,500 replacements dependent on the weather, which was challenged by December’s freezing conditions, he added.

Federal dollars and loan programs keep replacements going

The catalyst for rising lead line replacements was the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was signed by former President Joe Biden in 2021. The program awarded $15 billion to states over five years for lead lateral replacements and are allocated each year.

The state awarded federal funding through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources‘ Safe Drinking Water Loan Program. The lead service line program is expected to see more than $83.27 million in 2026 through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“It’s been a tremendous catalyst and a great benefit to the city of Milwaukee, and we are using that to our greatest benefit possible,” Pauly said.

In mid-December, the city was awarded $50.5 million for lead service line replacement, he added. The money will be dispersed from $19.3 million in principal forgiveness funding and $31.2 million in low-interest lines, for private and public projects respectively.

If a property owner is included in the replacement program and they own a property with one to four units, they won’t be required to share the cost of the replacement, Pauly said. The full cost of replacement is covered by the city and the utility, he added.

Funding question focuses on feds, state and city

Although Milwaukee and similar cities across the U.S. have benefited from the lead pipe funding through the BIL, time is limited for available funding. The final allocation is in 2026 and will be used to pay for replacements in 2027.

It’s also anticipated some states with no or low lead service lines won’t use the money, which will allow it to be allocated to other states in 2027 and 2028. But the money will still be exhausted without a second infrastructure law – and the utility is not optimistic about that happening, Pauly said.

The EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements require all lead service lines to be replaced by the end of 2037. The city’s goal is to replace 65,000 lead service lines by that year, Pauly added.

That deadline is the reason the city is issuing so many lead service contracts, Pauly said. It would need to average more than 5,000 each year for 11 more years to make the EPA’s deadline.

“It’s certainly a huge undertaking and a lot of work to get as far as we’ve gotten. There is plenty more work to be done,” Pauly said. “The funding question sows some doubt in the confidence. 5,400 services per year in today’s dollars is a little over $50 million. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been a significant benefit to the city, but we are beginning conversations to understand how we can move forward after that funding is exhausted.”

The prevalence of lead service lines isn’t just a problem for Milwaukee but several of the surrounding suburban communities as well, Pauly said. Potential funding could come from another infrastructure law to allocate for more replacements, as the $15 billion was a drop in the bucket to replace as many lines by 2037.

Several of the last state budgets have included funding for lead service lines and the Milwaukee Water Works is hopeful for the possibility of state funding to help municipalities with replacements.

Pauly said his organization feels prepared to carry out 5,000 lead service line replacements in 2026. The Water Works has identified neighborhoods and properties where work will take place and issued contracts already, he added.

The city has replaced 12,000 lead service lines since 2017.