FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 6, 2024
Milwaukee Water Works Releases Comment on EPAs Proposed Lead and Copper Rule Improvements
Milwaukee, WI - Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) submitted a formal public comment to the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday in response to the agency's proposed changes to the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements. The proposed rule changes would (revise the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Milwaukee Water Work endorsed the proposed 10-year timeline to replace all lead service lines, the most significant rule change proposed by the EPA.
"We support the proposed 10-year timeline for replacing all lead service lines applaud the EPA's work to incentivize the replacement of remaining lead service lines," said Water Works Superintendent Patrick Pauly.
Water Works noted that additional funding would be required to replace lead service lines.
"When Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is exhausted, the costs to complete this work within the 10-year goal will be borne by our customers and city taxpayers, leading to rate increases and limiting the city's ability to invest in other urgent priorities," said Pauly.
Wisconsin is expected to receive about $386 million in funding for lead service lines over the five years of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. Replacing all of Milwaukee's remaining lead service lines could cost more than $700 million.
Milwaukee Water Works also endorsed reducing the "action level" for lead from 15 parts per billion (ppb) to 10ppb, and called for the EPA to allow drinking water utilities to notify residents of high lead levels with an immediate phone call or an email message. The proposed rule requires notification by a formal letter, which could take days to reach the intended recipients.
"Water Works makes efforts to notify customers of their lead results as soon as possible after the testing has been completed, but...recommends requiring utilities to reach out to customers within three days by phone, email or letter when results are above the action level," said Water Quality Manager Michelle Natarajan.
The action level marks a maximum allowable level of lead in drinking water before the EPA orders a municipality to expedite steps to mitigate or remove lead hazards such as lead service lines.
Milwaukee's 2023 Lead and Copper Rule testing results showed that the 90th percentile LCR result was 5.3ppb. The tests, conducted at 51 properties, showed average lead levels of 2.74ppb.
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