Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) is expanding its lead service line replacement program to prioritize neighborhoods with the greatest need by assigning priority scores to each census block.

This blog explains how automatic enrollment policies to streamline lead service line replacement programs, reducing customer barriers and administrative burdens to accelerate the delivery of safe drinking water.

Minnesota’s Lead Service Line Replacement Grant Program prioritizes the use grant funds to repay loans incurred for LSLR including DWSRF loans. Minn. Stat. 446A.077 §4(a).

The state’s SFY22 IUP assgined additional priority points based economic development criteria promoting job creation (Attachment 1, p. 2).

The SFY25 IUP limits SRF funding to projects that fully remove lead components (p. 18). It also allows multi-year applications for lead line replacements (p. 20), prioritizes collaborative applicants (p. 13), and offers principal forgiveness for private-side work and filters (p. 19).

New Jersey requires the replacement of all lead and galvanized service lines, including the private portion, and enables water utilities to recover private-side replacement costs through water rates. P.L. 2021 c.183 §5 (a-b).

State law expressly allows municipalities to mandate replacement as part of their LSLR program. Ind. Code Ann. § 8-1-31.6-6. It also permitsdefault enrollment by requiring proof of replacement. Ind. Code Ann. § 8-1-31.6-6(d)(2),(4).Utilities can access private property if landlords are unresponsive Ind. Code Ann. § 8-1-31.6-6(d)(2) and may disconnect service if owners block replacement work Ind. Code § 8-1-31.6-6(d)(4).

Illinois law requires full replacement of lead service lines with varying timelines according to water system size. 415 ILCS 5/17.12.

Minnesota statute sets a goal of replacing all lead service lines in the state by 2033. Minn. Stat.446.078.

In 2024 the state legislature introduced a bill setting a 15-year timeline to replace all lead services lines in the state. H.B. 534