Back to Water Quality

Lead and Water

West Allis Water System Facts

The West Allis Water Utility, part of the City’s Public Works Department, provides water to homes, businesses, and other properties in the City of West Allis, serving over 60,000 people, through roughly 20,000 service connections. West Allis purchases its drinking water from the City of Milwaukee and distributes the water to customers through the City of West Allis’s own distribution system.

Lead is not found in Milwaukee’s source of public drinking water, but lead can enter drinking water when plumbing materials (i.e., pipes, faucets, fixtures) that contain lead corrode. Corrosion is the dissolving or wearing away of metal caused by a chemical reaction between water and plumbing materials. To prevent corrosion, the City of Milwaukee adds a food-grade additive, called an orthophosphate corrosion inhibitor.

West Allis’s tap water quality sampling results have shown that the corrosion inhibitor – added by the City of Milwaukee – is working to reduce lead in our water. The addition of that corrosion inhibitor is part of a method called corrosion control, where a water system will use particular chemicals to reduce corrosion of plumbing materials, to keep the lead from leaching into the drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets a lead action level to help water systems check if their corrosion control measures are working. EPA requires water systems to test water for lead at certain homes’ taps (e.g., homes with lead service lines). If ten percent of the samples (known as the 90th percentile) from these homes have lead concentrations that are more than the action level of 0.015 micrograms of lead per liter of water, also referred to as 15 parts per billion, then the system is required to take certain measures (e.g., public education efforts, lead service line replacements). West Allis’ most recent round of tap water quality sampling shows lead levels are improving and are below EPA’s regulatory requirements. West Allis took samples from 30 different homes in June of 2023. These samples show the 90th percentile for lead was 2.4 parts per billion. The single highest lead level found in those samples was 12 parts per billion.  

A water service line is a section of pipe typically ranging in diameter from 5/8” to 1.5” that connects a home or business to the water main in the street. In West Allis, the City owns the water service line from the water main to the shutoff valve called a curb stop that is typically located near the sidewalk in front of the home or business. The customer owns the water service line from the curb stop to the water meter inside the home or business. Plumbing materials inside the home or business past the meter are known as “premise plumbing” and not considered service lines. In West Allis, there are approximately 20,000 total water service lines to homes and businesses, of which there are approximately 7,800 lead service lines.

In West Allis, the City-owned water mains under the streets were not constructed with lead due to their larger size than the water service lines. Lead is a flexible metal that was used for service lines all over the country. There are an estimated 6 to 10 million lead service lines across the United States. Wisconsin is one of the states with the highest number of lead service lines in the country. Based on historical records, the City of West Allis believes that lead service lines generally were not installed in West Allis after 1966. In 1986, federal drinking water regulations prohibited pipe materials that were not considered “lead free,” and Wisconsin adopted those regulations by association. Going back farther, in 1966, the West Allis plumbing code was changed so that lead was no longer an acceptable material for drinking water service lines. Some water service lines installed between 1953 and 1966 could have contained lead, and West Allis is currently working to confirm where these service lines are located.

West Allis's Lead Service Line Efforts

Lead Service Line Inventory

The LCRR, requires West Allis to develop an inventory of all service lines in the City and submit the inventory to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources no later than October 16, 2024. West Allis has already identified service line materials for more than 80% of the city. Currently, there are service lines with unknown materials that could contain lead or galvanized piping that is or was downstream to lead and therefore considered “galvanized requiring replacement” because of the potential for these service lines to be sources of lead. West Allis is allowed to classify service lines as of unknown material in the inventory. However, services lines of unknown material have additional regulatory requirements, and it is a best practice to try to identify the material of as many service lines as possible. West Allis is working hard to identify the material of as many service lines as possible. City staff may ask for your help in providing information about your service line.

 West Allis is currently reviewing all existing engineering data available in the Public Works Department and other records to determine the service line materials of as many service lines as possible, including the remaining unknown service lines. West Allis has also established procedures that are being used by City staff during routine in-home inspections of other water system components to record water service line material type. This information will be used to help identify any remaining addresses having unknown service line materials and to verify existing records.

 Water service lines of unknown material that were installed in a period when lead was being used may be candidates for physical inspection. Physical inspection requires excavation of the service line using an excavation technique known as “potholing” to excavate a small hole in the ground to expose a portion of the service line leading from the water main to the curb stop and from the curb stop to the home to verify the piping materials. City staff will try to avoid disruptions as much as possible and strive to return the site to its existing condition when complete. City staff anticipates that all unknown service lines will not need to be potholed.

Lead Service Line Replacements  

West Allis has contracted with a nationally recognized engineering consultant to develop a lead service line replacement policy and replacement plan. The lead service line replacement policy and plan should be finalized later this year. These documents will help West Allis strategically conduct replacements. West Allis has already prioritized schools and daycare centers to identify and remove lead service lines.

To minimize disturbances, the locations where lead service lines will be replaced first will depend on areas where street construction projects were already planned. Street construction projects typically require concrete and asphalt to be removed, so West Allis will take advantage of these opportunities to replace lead service lines and replace water mains (if needed) while the street is already under construction.

 West Allis is considering a municipal contract between the City and a Wisconsin-licensed excavation and plumbing contractor for lead service line replacements. West Allis believes the best way to reduce costs for the City and homeowners is for the City to hire a contractor to replace large numbers of lead service lines all within a single neighborhood undergoing street repairs, rather than individual homeowners having to hire a pre-qualified excavation and plumbing contractor that would then be required to work in multiple neighborhoods scattered across the city.  

Funding Lead Service Line Replacements

In Wisconsin, state and federal funding is available to help pay for lead service line replacements, through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP). West Allis intends to submit a funding application to WDNR by June 30, 2024 to help pay for private lead service line removals in 2025.

 The SDWLP application would be to obtain funding to pay for all or a portion of the cost for replacing homeowners’ lead service lines. West Allis will strive to make its application as competitive as possible, but given available funding amounts, WDNR funding for a single year will not cover all lead service lines that need to be replaced in West Allis. West Allis has contracted with a nationally recognized engineering consultant to develop a lead service line replacement plan to help West Allis strategically consider future funding needs for replacements. West Allis anticipates applying for WDNR funding for lead service line replacements over the coming years and exploring other sources of funding for this work.

West Allis is currently analyzing lead service line and financial data, as well as demographic information, to maximize the competitiveness of its application to WDNR. WDNR offers more favorable financial terms, based on a number of factors. 

EPA Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators Initiative

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is collaborating with state partners in a new water technical assistance (WaterTA) initiative called Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators. EPA and four state partners—Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin— are working with 40 communities in 2023-2024 to address existing barriers and accelerate progress towards LSL identification and replacement. EPA is committed to creating meaningful opportunities for the participating communities through peer exchange and learning. This initiative will include the development of tools and case studies to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing of best practices between EPA, state and tribal programs, water system managers, and community leaders.

In Wisconsin, West Allis was selected as one of these communities.

EPA’s Lead Service Line Replacement Accelerators initiative is supporting West Allis by assisting with:

  • Development of an approach to field verify unknown lead service line materials, so an inventory can be provided to WDNR by October 2024 with as few service lines with unknown materials as possible. Service lines with unknown materials require additional customer notification and other regulatory requirements, so West Allis is striving to identify the service line material of as many service lines as possible.

  • Development of community engagement materials that provide educational information and meaningfully engage affected community members while identifying and replacing lead service lines.

  • Implementation of lead service line replacement policy and plan that provides a roadmap for prioritization and replacement of all lead service lines, including public and private portions.

  • Assistance with WDNR funding applications for lead service line replacement projects, including conducting research and analysis to maximize WDNR funding available to West Allis.

Health Effects of Lead

West Allis is committed to revitalizing health in its community by encouraging individuals to remove lead service lines.

There are numerous health effects caused by lead exposure, including irreversible interference to brain and nervous system development. There is no safe amount of lead exposure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “People with prolonged exposure to lead may also be at risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease and reduced fertility.” While lead is harmful to all ages, children under 6 and women who are pregnant are at a higher risk.

Lead poisoning can affect just about every system in the body yet often produces no obvious symptoms. The following are some of the most common symptoms of lead poisoning. However, each child may experience effects differently. Lead poisoning may cause

  • Damage to the brain and nervous system.

  • Behavior and learning problems.

  • Slowed growth and development.

  • Hearing and speech problems.

  • Headaches and persistent abdominal pain.

  • Anemia.