Milwaukee Prioritization Program
Milwaukee Water Works is working to replace lead service lines throughout the city. The Milwaukee Prioritization Program helps direct replacement work to neighborhoods with the greatest need, with a goal of replacing 65,000 lead service lines by 2037.
The program uses three factors to help determine which neighborhoods are prioritized for lead service line replacement:
- The number of lead service lines in the area
- The number of children with elevated blood lead levels (EBLL)
- The neighborhood's score on the ADI (Area Deprivation Index), which measures community challenges like income and housing
Each neighborhood (called a Census Block Group) receives a score based on these factors. The plan gives more importance to some factors than others, as follows: receives a priority score based on these factors. Higher-priority neighborhoods are considered first for replacement work.
Is My Property Eligible for Replacement?
Properties are selected for replacement each year through the Milwaukee Prioritization Program.
Check your address to see whether your property is eligible for lead service line replacement through the program. If your property is selected for replacement, Milwaukee Water Works will contact you with information about next steps and how to prepare.
Questions about the Milwaukee Prioritization Program?
Contact our team by email, phone, or text.
- Email: [email protected]
- Call: (414) 245-2372
- Text: (414) 375-8889
How Priority Scores Are Calculated
Each neighborhood receives a priority score from 0 to 1,000. The score is based on the following weighted factors:
- ADI score: 70%
- EBLL incidence: 25%
- Lead service line density: 5%
Priority scores are updated annually to reflect available data, including population changes, blood lead testing results, and completed lead service line replacements.
Data Used for Prioritization:
Density of Lead Service Lines
Milwaukee Water Works maintains an inventory of lead service lines. We use this data to determine lead service line density.
Elevated Blood Lead Levels
Elevated Blood Lead Level data is provided by the Milwaukee Health Department.
Area Deprivation Index
The index used by Water Works is called the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), developed by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health's Center for Health Disparities.
- The ADI combines 17 different criteria
- The criteria relate to income, employment, housing, education, and other household factors.
- It was designd to inform healthcare delivery and health-related policy.
- The data for the ADI comes from the American Community Survey, which is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
How Replacement Work is Balanced Across the City
Milwaukee Water Works assigns each neighborhood a priority score from 0 to 1,000 and ranks them from highest to lowest. Because 60 percent of the top-ranked neighborhoods are on the North Side and 40 percent are on the South Side, MWW plans its annual service line replacements to mirror that 60/40 split. This approach ensures that replacement work is distributed fairly across Milwaukee.
How Many Lead Service Lines Will Be Replaced Annually?
MWW will replace most of the city’s remaining lead service lines through its Prioritization Plan. In 2025, the plan will deliver 3,500 line replacements on top of the base-plan work (water-main and paving projects, childcare facility connections, and leak repairs). Now in its second year, the Prioritization Plan’s replacement totals will grow each year.
Your Lead Service Line Replacement: Video Walk-through
Learn more about the Milwaukee Prioritization Program for Lead Service Line Replacement. This video walks eligible residents and property owners through the steps of the of the prioritization program so they know what to expect and how to get ready for their lead service line replacement.
Join Us at an Upcoming Event
MWW hosts community meetings and informational sessions to help residents understand the program and get their questions answered. View upcoming dates on our Events Page.
Customer Service Center
For billing and related questions:
24-Hour Control Center
For water emergencies only:
414-286-5452 (Fax)
Zeidler Municipal Building
841 N. Broadway, Room 406
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:45 PM