Resident Resources & FAQs

Lead is a metal that was used for many years in products found in and around homes. Exposure to lead has been linked to harmful health effects in infants, young children, and pregnant women, and is potentially harmful to adults. Young children are particularly vulnerable because their brains are still developing.

The primary source of lead exposure for most children is lead-based paint in older homes. Wisconsin drinking water sources have little to no measurable lead. However, lead service lines and older plumbing fixtures made of lead can release lead into drinking water. Disturbing or reconnecting an existing lead service line may increase lead levels in the water.

Kenosha Water Utility (KWU) adds orthophosphate to the water to help form a protective coating inside pipes. This helps reduce the potential for lead to enter the water from service lines and household plumbing.

Residents can take these additional steps:

• Have a lead service line replaced
• Use a water filter certified to reduce lead in drinking water
• If you have a lead service line, run the water for about 3-5 minutes to get rid of water that has been sitting in the pipes
• Remove and clean faucet aerators regularly
• Use only fresh, cold water for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula
• Contact KWU with questions about water testing

KWU provides a free filter to homes with a confirmed lead service line. KWU can confirm the material through existing records, a photo of the pipe near the meter or a home inspection. Email lead@kenosha.org or call 262-653-4315 for help with verification and obtaining a filter.

If your line has recently been replaced, follow the project team’s specific flushing and filter instructions.

For additional guidance:

• Wisconsin DNR Guidance on Lead in Drinking Water
• EPA Guidance on Lead in Drinking Water

Contact KWU if you have questions about testing your water for lead. KWU can explain testing options and connect you with a laboratory if needed.

A water sample reflects conditions at the time it is collected. Testing alone does not establish the material of your service line; lead can also come from older household plumbing or fixtures. Contact lead@kenosha.org or call 262-653-4315 for help with your service-line information or testing questions.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources requires KWU to conduct lead and copper testing every three years. In its 2024 sampling round, KWU tested water at 60 homes. None of the samples exceeded the EPA action level of 15 parts per billion used for that sampling round.

Read KWU’s water quality report for more information. Contact KWU with questions about your home.

A water service line is the pipe connecting the water main in the street to a home or building. It has two portions:

• Public portion: Runs from the water main to the curb stop (shutoff valve) near the property line or sidewalk.
• Private portion, or customer-side: Runs from the curb stop to the water meter in the home or building.

KWU maintains a record of service-line materials to identify lead service lines and plan replacement work. The initial federal reporting deadline was October 16, 2024. The next federal deadline for submitting an updated inventory is November 1, 2027.

KWU continues to update its records as information becomes available. Information from residents helps make those records more complete and accurate.

Contact KWU for help verifying the material. Email your property address and a photo of the pipe entering your home before the water meter to lead@kenosha.org, or call 262-653-4315 to arrange a home visit.

Follow any specific submission instructions you received.

Homes and buildings constructed before 1947 may have lead service lines. Buildings constructed after 1947 typically do not. A building’s age alone does not confirm its service-line material.

Check the information recorded for your address on the KWU service-line map, or contact KWU for help.

Galvanized and lead service lines can look very similar, but galvanized is magnetic. A magnet will stick to a galvanized pipe but will not adhere to lead, plastic, or copper.

Lead is a dull gray metal that is soft enough to be easily scratched with a house key, and a lead water service line typically has an oval bulb before the water meter.

Please email a picture of your service line before the water meter to lead@kenosha.org. If you are unsure or cannot send a photo, please call Kenosha Water Utility at (262) 653-4315 to schedule a home visit.

KWU is identifying and replacing lead service lines through several funding and replacement initiatives. Contact KWU to determine which applies to your property.

Eligible replacement work in these areas is fully covered, at no cost to the homeowner. The project contractor replaces both the public and private portions of the service line. Participating property owners do not need to hire their own plumber for this work.

Follow the instructions provided by KWU or Clark Dietz, the engineering firm helping KWU manage the current replacement project.

The community-wide program provides:

• A grant covering 50% of the cost of replacing the customer-side lead service line, up to $2,750.
• A loan option for the remaining cost, at 3% interest, repaid over 10 years and collected annually through City property taxes.

Under this program, KWU replaces the public portion from the water main to the curb stop. The property owner hires a pre-approved plumbing contractor to replace the private portion from the curb stop to the water meter.

KWU coordinates its work with the private contractor. Contact KWU for the current contractor list before arranging work.

Households anywhere in Kenosha with children under the age of seven or a pregnant woman are encouraged to contact KWU promptly about possible additional financial assistance. Eligibility and available funding will determine what assistance applies.

In 2018, the State Legislature enacted 2017 Wisconsin Act 137, allowing utilities to provide financial assistance to property owners replacing customer-side lead service lines.

The Board of Water Commissioners and the Kenosha Common Council established a program to remove and replace lead service lines connected to KWU’s water distribution system. The governing ordinance is Rule 06-06 of Chapter XXXII of the City’s Code of General Ordinances.

KWU was the first utility in Wisconsin to seek Public Service Commission approval to replace customer-side lead service lines under Act 137.

For this utility-funded assistance, Wisconsin Statute §196.372(3)(e)2.a limits grants to no more than half of the property owner’s replacement cost. This limit applies to the community-wide grant and loan program described above; eligible work in the current three-tract project is funded separately.

Property owners with confirmed lead service lines may apply. Funding is budgeted annually, and Kenosha’s ordinance establishes the following priorities for financial assistance:

1. Properties with leaking or failed customer-side or utility-side service lines.
2. Properties where KWU is replacing the utility-side service line on a planned or emergency basis.
3. Properties where the General Manager has determined that replacing a customer-side service line is in the best interest of health and safety.
4. Properties with licensed child care facilities and schools.
5. Properties where children under the age of seven (7) or a pregnant woman reside.
6. All remaining properties with customer-side lead service lines.

Kenosha requires lead service line replacement in the following situations:

• Road reconstruction: Lead service lines must be replaced before scheduled road reconstruction begins.
• A leak on the customer side: A leaking customer-side lead service pipe cannot be repaired and must be replaced with an approved material.
• A leak on the public side: If KWU replaces a leaking public-side lead service pipe connected to a customer-side lead pipe, the customer-side pipe must be replaced within 45 days after KWU replaces the public portion.

The American Water Works Association has produced a series of videos showing three stages of lead service line replacement.

• Pre-replacement (3.25 minutes)
• Day of Replacement (4.01 minutes)
• After Replacement (2.52 minutes)

These videos are for illustration. KWU’s actual process may differ.

Households anywhere in Kenosha with children under the age of seven or a pregnant woman are encouraged to contact KWU promptly.

KWU will review the service-line information for your property and coordinate any needed verification. If replacement is needed, KWU will help determine whether additional financial assistance may be available.

Assistance depends on the property, household eligibility, program requirements, and available funding.

Contact KWU about priority assistance: 262-653-4315 or lead@kenosha.org.

No. Households anywhere in Kenosha with children under the age of seven or a pregnant woman are encouraged to contact KWU promptly, even if they have not received a notice or their service-line material has not been confirmed.

KWU will help determine the next step.

Respond promptly and follow the instructions on the communication you received from KWU or Clark Dietz, the engineering firm helping KWU manage the current replacement project.

You may need to verify the pipe material, complete paperwork, coordinate access, or schedule work. A request to verify your service-line material does not mean your property is already scheduled for replacement.

View current project information and instructions.

You can check your address on KWU’s service-line map, contact KWU with questions, and talk with your landlord about next steps. The property owner may need to authorize verification or replacement.

Contact Kenosha Water Utility:

Email: lead@kenosha.org

Phone: 262-653-4315