Waupaca considers possible ordinance
By Angie Landsverk
A proposed ordinance would prohibit lead service lines in the city of Waupaca in the future.
It was on first reading when the common council met on Oct. 6.
The council is scheduled to take action on the proposal when it meets on Oct. 20.
Justin Berrens, the city’s public works director, explained why the lead service line replacement ordinance is being proposed.
He said it is a public health and safety issue.
“It is a health issue for everyone,” Berrens told the council.
Municipalities throughout the state and country have been adopting such ordinances, he said.
Berrens said the Environmental Protection Agency and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have been aggressive about getting lead service lines out of communities.
Under the proposal, if lead components are found anywhere in a water service line, the entire line has to be replaced.
It includes penalties for property owners who refuse to disconnect the service.
The city may discover lead in a line during a leak, failure or as part of a repair.
Berrens said the whole line has to replaced because any time a repair is done on a lead service line, the disturbance can lead to elevated lead levels in drinking water.
“So it is important when you find them to replace them in full,” he said.
The city did do so when it reconstructed Lake Street a few years ago and again this year as part of the reconstruction of Granite Street.
In both instances, there were lead components in the water lines.
It was common to use lead goosenecks in the 1930s and 1940s for connections to mains.
City seeks grant to help property owners
The city received a $200,000 grant at the time of the Lake Street project that covered the cost of the water line replacement on the private side.
The remaining grant funds are being used to do the same thing on Granite Street.
If the ordinance is approved, property owners would be required to replace the line from the shut off to the house if lead was found, Berrens said.
The utility is responsible for paying the other half, he said.
The proposal includes a financial component so property owners would have several options to pay for their cost.
The options include paying the cost outright, through an assessment or over 10 years as part of a payment plan.
The city plans to seek additional DNR funds to cover the cost of property owners replacing their portion of the lines.
Adopting the ordinance would help the city score better for those funds, Berrens said.
“I’m going to continue to seek the Lead Service Line Replacement Grant money through the DNR,” he said.
Eventually, those funds will dry up, Berrens said.