Your home failed a dye test performed by DNS in which dye water was flushed down the home’s toilet and was seen in the storm sewer system, which flows directly to the river.

You will need to be home to let the contractor into your home in the morning. You are welcome to remain at your home while work is being performed, or you are welcome to leave and return home after work is complete.

Steps are taken to reduce mess inside and outside of the home, and the contractor will restore property at the end of work to its previous state, with the exception of ornate landscaping and finished basements.

No, there are no costs associated with this program. The only costs a property owner may experience are restoring ornate landscaping or finishes on their property after the completion of construction.

While not an exact science, DPW estimates that the laterals installed with this program have a 50-year lifespan.

During the replacement of the sanitary lateral and the lead service line, you will not be able to use water or flush toilets. If the work takes more than one day, your water and sewer will be temporarily reconnected so you can use water and flush toilets overnight.

Workers will arrive at your home at 7 a.m. and the work is typically finished by 5 p.m. Work will pause for the night and resume the next day if it is expected to finish later than 7 p.m.

• Milwaukee is served by two sewer systems: the combined sewer system and the separate sewer system.

• In a combined sewer system, wastewater (sanitary sewage) and stormwater enter one pipe where it is sent to the wastewater treatment facilities. A majority of the water running through this system comes from stormwater runoff and groundwater entering the system.
• In a separate sewer system, wastewater and stormwater enter two separate pipes. The storm sewer collects stormwater runoff and groundwater entering the system and carries it directly to a local waterway and, ultimately, Lake Michigan. The sanitary sewer system sends water from toilets, sinks, floor drains, etc. to wastewater treatment facilities.
• Your home is located in the separate sewer system.
• View a diagram of the sewer system.

• Property owners own the pipe from their home all the way to the sewer main, including the point of connection. Homeowners are responsible for maintenance of their plumbing systems.

• View a diagram of sewer pipe ownership.

• All buildings get their drinking water from a water service line that extends from the water main in the street, across the property line, and into the structure where it connects to the water meter.

• Structures built prior to about 1950 often have a water service line made of lead.
• Water Works owns the section of the water service line between the main and the curb stop (a valve), which is located at the property line.
• The property owner owns the section of the line from the curb stop to the water meter.

• Milwaukee Water Works is committed to promoting public health by providing all residents and visitors with clean, safe drinking water.

• While lead levels in water flowing from Milwaukee taps connected to lead service lines are typically very low, it is important to eliminate any potential sources of lead.
• Taking action to remove these sources helps reduce the chance of children or others being exposed to lead.
• There is no safe level of lead in the human body. Lead can cause learning and behavior problems, slow growth and development, and affect hearing.
• Young children are especially at risk if they swallow or breathe in lead. More information is available at milwaukee.gov/AboutLead.
• While lead paint and dust from paint and varnish are the primary contributors to lead poisoning, lead can enter drinking water through lead service lines as the pipe oxidizes, releasing tiny lead particles.
• The risk of lead getting into the water increases as water sits unused in a lead service line for extended periods of time.
• Although Water Works adds ortho-phosphate to Milwaukee's water, low levels of lead can still get into drinking water. Ortho-phosphate creates a coating on the inside of the pipe, which acts as a barrier between the oxygen in the water and the lead and helps prevent corrosion.

• Make sure the area around the water meter is accessible.

• Milwaukee Water Works and our contractor will need access to the water meter, and the area of the basement wall (or floor) where the water service line enters the building and connects to the meter.

Yes. Please be at home early in the morning so contractors can start work on time and get to the next project. This will help reduce the amount of time to replace all lead service lines in Milwaukee. The contractor will notify you regarding the time they plan to start work at your property.

A lead service line replacement usually takes a few hours. Contractors often start excavating by 7:30 or 8:00am, and no later than 3:30pm. The property may be without water for an hour or two.

• Work starts by excavating an 8' x 4' hole in the roadway and another 8' x 4' near the sidewalk. Water mains and service lines are buried 6' - 8' deep.

• Workers will bore a small hole laterally from the water main to the inside of the building or from the basement to the water main. A small hole will be made in the exterior (typically basement) wall or basement floor.
• After boring a hole for the new copper service line, workers will pull the copper piping into the hole so it extends from the water main in the street to the water meter inside the building.
• Workers then disconnect the old line and connect the new line. The time between disconnection of the lead service line and connection of the copper service is when you will be without water service.

• It is important for residents to remove and clean faucet aerators, and to flush taps once the new line is in place, to flush out any debris. (More on how to do that is below.)

• Workers will patch the hole in the basement wall or floor that was left after removing the old service line.
• Contractors will backfill impacted lawn areas to include 6" of slurry below grade and 6" of topsoil at lawn excavations.
• Crews will place grass seed on new topsoil if work occurs during the growing season. If the replacement occurs during late fall or winter months, crews will return to place grass seed when the weather starts to warm up.
• Private walks, trees, shrubs and landscaping are the responsibility of the owner.
• A temporary asphalt patch may be placed over the excavation site in the street if the work occurs during water main replacement or a road reconstruction project.

• Yes, construction work that involves heavy vehicles and excavation on or near a lead service line may cause lead particles to shake loose and get caught up in the flow of water through the pipe.

• As water flows through the pipe, it can carry these particles through your internal plumbing to your faucet. Lead particles can also attach to the plumbing that runs through a home or apartment, and come loose later.
• Water Works will provide each property with a water pitcher with a NSF/ANSI 53 filter that removes lead. Water Works will provide a pitcher with a filter that lasts for six months.
• On the day of and for at least 30 days after construction, all residents should only drink water that has been filtered with the NSF/ANSI 53 filter.
• Non-filtered tap water can safely be used for bathing, washing hands, washing dishes, laundry, etc.

• Yes, it is important to remove and rinse the aerator housing, washer and the aerator screen from each faucet in your home, and thoroughly clean the screen by rinsing it to remove any debris, which could include lead particles.
• With aerator screens removed, flush the taps and internal plumbing for at least 30 minutes by letting the water run at full flow from each faucet, starting with the washtub in the basement.
• Milwaukee tap water costs less than 1/3 of one cent per gallon, so running your taps for several minutes will cost less than $1.

• Not running the water for the recommended length of time may increase your risk of lead exposure.

• Water Works offers free testing of your water after removal of the lead service line.
• Staff from our Water Quality section will drop off a sample kit with instructions.
• Residents should collect samples after a period of stagnation. Let the water sit unused for at least six hours. The first thing in the morning is the best time to collect samples - before flushing a toilet, using the shower, doing laundry, running a dishwasher, etc. Another option may be after everyone has been out of the house during the workday/school day.
• If a property owner agrees to participate in our water sampling efforts, we will rely on the property owner or a resident to collect the samples because of the need to do so early in the morning.
• Staff from our Water Quality section will pick up the samples and arrange to have them tested at our certified water quality lab.
• Water Works will mail a letter to the property with the results of the test(s).

• Water Works’ tests of drinking water at residential taps indicate that internal plumping can also be a source of lead in drinking water. In fact, tests indicate that lead levels in water from internal plumbing and the service line can be very similar. For this reason, it may be worthwhile to replace older faucets.
• Replacing internal galvanized plumbing is also recommended, since lead from the old service line could have accumulated on galvanized steel, leaching into the water at a later date.
• Lead paint and dust from old paint and varnish are often the biggest sources of lead in a home.
  • If your home has a lead service line, it was built before 1978, when lead paint was banned. This means your home likely has lead paint, but the risk it poses can vary.
  • A professional lead paint assessor can help determine the risks in your home.