Partial Replacement

An instance in which only part of the service line (typically the public or utility side) is removed due to complications arising from the split ownership of the service line. Partial replacements increase the risk of lead release into drinking water. According to the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI), only full replacement counts towards the mandatory replacement requirement, given that partial replacements may increase the risk of lead exposure due to disruptions to the service line.

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    • Milwaukee Water Works Lead Pipes – Prioritization Program
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    • Building Trust Through the Airwaves: How Benton Harbor Used Community Radio to Tackle Lead Pipe Replacement

    The purpose of the Lead Innovation Hub is to empower users to take action by equipping them with the best information, solutions, and resources available to replace lead pipes and improve public health for all.

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    Milwaukee is one of the few cities in the country with a prioritization plan to ensure neighborhoods likely to suffer the most severe impacts from lead poisoning get their pipes replaced first. In consultation with a community-based group, Coalition for Lead Emergency (COLE), and following a public engagement process, Milwaukee included in an ordinance three indicators to prioritize where LSLs will be removed first:

    1. The area deprivation index (ADI), which is a compilation of social determinants of health
    2. The percentage of children found to have elevated lead levels in their blood when tested for lead poisoning
    3. The density of lead service lines in the neighborhood.

    Read more here.