More than 66K of lead service lines (lead toxic laterals) in the City of Milwaukee will be replace at no cost to homeowners and business property owners.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
December 18, 2023
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On December 12th, the Milwaukee Common Council anonymously voted to approve a substitute ordinance relating to lead service line replacements sponsored by Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, Co-sponsored by Ald. José G. Pérez and Ald. Jonathan Brostoff. The lead service line (LSL) replacements, which 40% are located in the predominately Hispanic community in the Southside of Milwaukee and 60% are located in the Northside will eliminate the property owner cost share for residential properties with 1-4 dwelling units that are subject a replacement required, according to ordinance 231032 (https://tinyurl.com/36v93ce7), that was signed into law by Mayor Cavalier Johnson.
Home owners will receive notices from the City about the planned replacement of the LSLs and the owners have ten days to return the authorization forms to allow the Milwaukee Department of Public Works (DPW)-Water Works Division to remove the LSL from the owners property at no cost.
Now, the property owners will be able to save up to $8,000, if they had to get a private contractor to remove the LSL on the private property side.
The DPW-Water Works will remove designated LSLs by full blocks in the City, so they can low cost effective remove them.
The City received $30M from the federal bipartisan infrastructure law to help pay for lead service line (lead laterals) replacements.
Robert Miranda from FLAC released the following statement to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA), "Welcomed News," says Freshwater For Life Action Coalition (FLAC). The Legislation approved by the Milwaukee Common Council and signed by Mayor Cavalier Johnson last week is much welcomed news, says FLAC. Eliminating the costs to remove lead service lines for residential property owners was priority issue number one for the group who started Milwaukee's lead lateral removal campaign in 2015.
"FLAC welcomes this news, and so does the Get The Lead Out Coslition (GTLO). We want to congratulate the Mayor, the entire Milwaukee Common Council and most certainly State Senator Lena Taylor", said Robert Miranda, spokesperson for FLAC.
Freshwater For Life Action Coalition (FLAC) initiated 8 years ago (2015), the Water Quality Task Force with former Milwaukee Alderman Ashanti Hamilton and Jim Bohl. Called for LSLs to be removed at no expense to the homeowner. FLAC had resolutions created calling for lead poisoning transperancy and moratorium on partial lead lateral removals and since then have put pressure on the Common Council to get to this point.
"While the mainstream media, specifically the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, will not recognize this was a grassroots campaign, the people in the community know who got Milwaukee here," continued Miranda.
FLAC says there is still work to do, but this was a big victory for the community.
Editor's note: HNNUSA has been the only Hispanic news source in Milwaukee that has continuously reported on the FLAC and GTLO campaign and plight to remove the LSLs in the City of Milwaukee.
To check if your home or business is connected to a freshwater lead service line (lead toxic laterals) at: https://city.milwaukee.gov/water/WaterQuality/LeadandWater/Lead-Service-Line-Records
Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA)
HNNUSA: Donations accepted/se aceptan donaciones: https://tinyurl.com/3y8ej92t
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