WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Some West Allis residents are concerned about the safety of their drinking water after receiving a letter from the city regarding potential lead exposure from their service lines.

“I’m finding ways to protect myself and the other people who live here,” said Zach Harmon, one of the 15,000 people in West Allis who received a letter from the city. “You get a letter saying there’s lead or possible lead in your drinking water, you’re going to be concerned.”

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The letters alert residents to the possibility of lead or unknown lines in their homes. It’s part of a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that requires water utilities to do so alert residents before line replacement work begins in 2027.

“We’ve confirmed that they either have lead, galvanized steel, or we don’t know. It’s confirmed that we don’t know,” said Melinda Dejewski, West Allis city ​​engineer.

The city said the letters were sent to people based on old records, so they are asking residents to test their pipes and notify the city in any case. They will then make a plan to replace them by 2027.

“Looking at different funding options like community grants,” Dejewski said. “Each owner paid a portion of it.”

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“My question is what are we going to do between now and the point of replacing the pipes?” Harmon asked. “What will the city do for people who have lead in their drinking water?”

As for the city’s advice, Dejewski said it would depend on the concentration of lead. She said “proper steps” would follow, things like filters and bottled water.

City officials said they are formulating a plan through 2027 and then, after that, the EPA requires them to remove all service lines within 10 years.

Residents in other southeastern Wisconsin municipalities also received letters — including Racine, Wauwatosa, Whitefish Bay and Milwaukee. More may receive letters in the coming weeks.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the US Environmental Protection Agency they have more information about lead contamination on their website.