Lead Service Lines and Health Across Wisconsin

Researchers examining lead in Wisconsin’s drinking water are investigating whether the severe lead pipe issues documented in cities also impact other communities statewide. Milwaukee has about 65,000 lead service lines, which are the pipes that connect homes to the water main, making it one of the worst lead pipe problems in the entire country. The research examines whether what has been learned in Milwaukee can help understand and address lead pipe issues in Wisconsin's other cities and towns.

The researchers have been testing water and tracking health impacts across Wisconsin communities of all sizes, from major cities like Green Bay, Madison, Racine, and Superior (which still have thousands of lead pipes each) to smaller towns with aging water systems. This broad approach helps the researchers understand whether the health problems and solutions documented in Milwaukee apply to other Wisconsin communities dealing with lead pipes.

The early findings show that lead pipe problems extend far beyond Milwaukee, with concerning water test results and infrastructure replacement needs affecting communities throughout Wisconsin. The research team has found that replacing lead pipes is expensive and time-consuming everywhere, but the costs and challenges vary significantly depending on the size of the community and available resources (Wisconsin Water Utility Association, 2023).

The research includes communities with different economic situations, housing types (renters versus homeowners), and city budgets, helping us understand how lead pipe replacement creates different challenges and fairness issues across Wisconsin. For example, the question of who pays for replacement plays out differently in different types of communities.

By studying communities across Wisconsin, the researchers hope to develop better recommendations for lead pipe replacement that work for different types of places, from major cities to small towns, ensuring that the research findings can help protect families throughout the state.

Please go through each of the activities below and share your thoughts about lead service lines in Wisconsin!