Lead In Drinking Water In Wisconsin
What residents of Wisconsin need to know about lead in drinking water — including how it enters water, which utilities have documented violations, and what steps to take.
Source: EPA SDWIS, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), CDC · Last reviewed: 2025-01-01
Quick Answer
Is lead in drinking water a real concern in Wisconsin?
Yes — Milwaukee has one of the largest known lead service line inventories of any U.S. city, with an estimated 70,000+ lead service lines. Madison completed a full lead service line replacement program and documented measurable drops in child blood lead levels.
Is this mostly a public-water issue, a private-well issue, or both?
Both public water service lines and household plumbing; Milwaukee concentrates the most severe risk, while Green Bay, Racine, Kenosha, and Sheboygan also have older infrastructure.
What is the main reason residents should care?
Milwaukee's massive lead service line inventory — concentrated in older neighborhoods built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries — makes it one of the most documented lead-in-water risk contexts in the Midwest. Wisconsin enacted legislation requiring lead service line replacement statewide.
Key Facts
| Federal Lead Action Level | 15 µg/L — no safe level per CDC |
| Milwaukee LSL inventory | Estimated 70,000+ lead service lines — one of the largest in the US |
| Madison model | Madison completed LSLR program; researchers documented measurable drops in child blood lead levels |
| Wisconsin LSLR law | 2021 legislation requires statewide lead service line replacement with funding |
| State oversight | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) |
Why This Matters in Wisconsin
Milwaukee is estimated to have more than 70,000 lead service lines — one of the largest inventories among mid-sized U.S. cities. The city's neighborhoods of Harambee, Riverwest, Lindsay Heights, Bay View, and Walker's Point have dense concentrations of late 19th and early 20th century housing with original lead service lines connecting to the water main. Milwaukee Water Works has been engaged in an aggressive lead service line replacement program. Madison, Wisconsin is a counterpoint success story: the city completed its lead service line replacement program and researchers documented measurable decreases in child blood lead levels in the years following. Wisconsin enacted legislation in 2021 requiring lead service line replacement statewide, with funding mechanisms. WDNR enforces the Lead and Copper Rule and requires utilities to complete service line inventories.
Historical Context
Madison, Wisconsin completed its lead service line replacement program and is cited in public health literature as a model: researchers documented measurable decreases in children's blood lead levels in the years after completion. Milwaukee's challenge is far larger in scale — with 70,000+ LSLs — but the same replacement approach is underway with Wisconsin state legislation as backing.
Wisconsin Utilities With Lead Violation Records
The utilities listed below have at least one lead violation on record in EPA's SDWIS database. Violations may be open or resolved — see individual utility pages for current status and risk level.
Milwaukee Waterworks
Milwaukee · 626,000 served
Madison Water Utility
Madison · 272,000 served
Green Bay Waterworks
Green Bay · 107,369 served
Racine Waterworks
Racine · 105,100 served
Waukesha Water Utility
Waukesha · 70,718 served
Eau Claire Waterworks
Eau Claire · 70,587 served
West Allis Waterworks
West Allis · 63,240 served
La Crosse Waterworks
La Crosse · 53,000 served
Wauwatosa Waterworks
Wauwatosa · 49,064 served
Fond Du Lac Waterworks
Fond Du Lac · 44,303 served
How Lead Gets Into Drinking Water
Lead service lines
The pipe connecting a home to the water main may be made of lead, especially in pre-1986 construction. Water sitting in these lines can accumulate lead before it reaches the tap.
Lead solder
Lead solder at pipe joints was banned for potable water systems in 1986. Homes built before that date — including significant portions of older Wisconsin cities — may still have lead solder throughout their plumbing.
Older brass fixtures
Faucets, valves, and fixtures with high lead content were common before the 2014 revision of 'lead-free' standards. Replacing older fixtures at kitchen and drinking taps can meaningfully reduce exposure.
Corrosive water chemistry
Soft, acidic, or low-alkalinity water dissolves lead from plumbing more readily. Utilities use orthophosphate and other corrosion control treatments, but household plumbing after the meter is not within their control.
Who Should Pay Closest Attention
Families with young children in Milwaukee's older neighborhoods — Harambee, Riverwest, Brewer's Hill, South Side — should check with Milwaukee Water Works about their address's service line status. Wisconsin provides resources for requesting free lead testing and for in-home filter programs.
Families with children under six
Pregnant residents
Households in homes built before 1986
Renters who cannot inspect building plumbing
Residents on a confirmed lead service line
Households that had plumbing work done recently (disturbances dislodge protective scale)
How to Check Your Situation in Wisconsin
- 1
Identify your water utility. Use the ZIP lookup below or browse the Wisconsin utility directory on this site.
- 2
Read your utility's page on this site to see its current risk level and any open lead violations.
- 3
Contact your utility and ask for your address-level service line material status. Under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), utilities must maintain and provide this information.
- 4
Review your utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — mailed annually or available on the utility's website.
- 5
Consider testing your tap water at a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR)-certified lab. Your state health department or Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) maintains a list of certified labs.
- 6
If you have young children or are pregnant, install a certified NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 filter at the kitchen tap as a precautionary measure.
Treatment Options
Boiling does not remove lead. Use a certified filter for drinking and cooking water.
NSF/ANSI Standard 53 — Activated Carbon Block
Under-sink or pitcher filters certified to Standard 53 are independently verified to reduce lead. Replace filters on the manufacturer's schedule — an overdue filter may not perform as certified.
NSF/ANSI Standard 58 — Reverse Osmosis
RO systems certified to Standard 58 remove 95–99% of lead and a broad range of contaminants. Requires under-sink installation. More comprehensive than Standard 53 for households with multiple contaminant concerns.
Flushing — temporary mitigation only
EPA recommends flushing the cold tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes if water has sat in pipes for 6+ hours. Not a substitute for certified filtration or service line replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Lead — National Overview
All U.S. utilities with lead records
Wisconsin State Overview
All utilities and water quality data
Nitrate in Drinking Water
A separate but common concern
Reverse Osmosis Guide
Removes 95–99% of lead
Activated Carbon Filter Guide
NSF/ANSI 53 certified options
All Contaminants
Complete reference library
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.
Find Your Utility
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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) ↗