WASHINGTON, DC (WSAU) — Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson were among the guests invited to participate in a panel discussion on the national effort to remove lead water pipes.
Rosenberg says the city has already used ARPA funds to hire a consultant who has helped them map out the size and scope of the issue city-wide, adding that they’ve made some progress in areas where major street reconstruction has taken place. But she says they’d like to pick up the pace a bit.
“Everything from the street to the home to the meters costs about $10,000. So this is just an $80 million issue over the next ten to 15 years,” said Rosenberg. “We want to make sure we are doing this faster, and we want to do this right. So we are hoping that with support here, we will be able to continue [that effort].”
Rosenberg added that the presence of lead service lines in the city also complicated the situation surrounding PFAS because of the way certain treatments would interact with the anti-corrosion treatments needed for lead pipes.
Mayor Johnson said his city has been on a 70-year pace to replace all of its lead service lines, so he would welcome any additional help to accelerate that process.
Both Wausau and Milwaukee will be part of the Biden Administration’s Get the Lead Out Partnership along with Kenosha, Madison, and Edgerton. The state of Wisconsin is also participating along with about 125 other communities.
It’s unclear how residents will benefit from the new initiative. Mayor Rosenberg has scheduled a media availability for Monday morning to discuss the trip.
