Milwaukee lead pipe replacement plan; public input sought
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee Water Works is hosting a town hall meeting to seek public input and share plans for expanding lead pipe replacement in Milwaukee on Monday, July 24.
Milwaukee Water Works' draft Equity Prioritization Plan balances three factors: elevated blood lead levels in children five years of age or younger, the Area Deprivation Index score, and the density of lead service lines (LSL). Each factor is normalized by population and then weighted.
The Equity Prioritization Plan allows Milwaukee Water Works to score every Census Block Group in Milwaukee and rank each in priority order according to need, using equity as the driving value. Water Works' proposed weighting is 70% ADI, 25% EBLL, and 5% LSL density.
Milwaukee Water Works invites the public to attend Monday's town hall at the Mitchell St. Library around 6 p.m. and provide their input on the Equity Prioritization Plan.
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Since 2017, Milwaukee's lead pipe replacement program has replaced lead water service lines when there is a leak or failure, at newly licensed childcare facilities, during water main replacement projects, and during certain road reconstruction projects.
The town hall will include welcoming remarks from Pérez, Zamarripa, and Dimitrijevic, an overview of Milwaukee's lead poisoning challenges from the Coalition on Lead Emergency, and a presentation of the Equity Prioritization Plan from Water Works Superintendent Patrick W. Pauly. The remainder of the town hall is reserved for questions and comments from the public.