Today, Governor Scott Walker signed 2017 Senate Bill 48 into law. It enacts a sustainable funding mechanism for communities to provide financial assistance for homeowners in the replacement of lead-containing water service lines. Lead-containing water service lines can be a serious health hazard particularly for children.
Funding challenges have caused communities and homeowners to delay replacement of these service lines, thus potentially jeopardizing access to safe drinking water for individuals living in thousands of Wisconsin homes.
Under the new law:
(1) it creates a process by which a public water utility may provide a grant, a loan, or both to a property owner for the purpose of assisting in replacing the portion of a lead-containing water service line; and
(2) it authorizes a city, village, town, or county to provide a loan or facilitate owner-arranged financing from a third party for the purpose of replacing the portion of a lead-containing water service line that is owned by the property owner.
SB 48 was authored by Senator Robert Cowles and Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt. After the Governor's signature was affixed, it became known as 2017 Wisconsin Act 137.
For more information on this new law and the legislative background click here.
Sen. Steve Nass State Capitol, Room 10 South PO Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707 Toll-Free (800) 578-1457 or (608) 266-2635
