RACINE — The City of Racine has launched a new initiative to replace all lead service lines in the city within the next five years.
The program, called the EquiFlow Lead-Free Program, aims to help Racine meet Wisconsin's goal of removing all lead service lines by 2037. This is in line with federal requirements.
Lead can enter drinking water through aging pipes and cause health problems, particularly in children. For some Racine residents, concerns about lead have already changed how they access water.
"I use bottled water because I don't really like the faucet," Regina Hubbard said. "Because I know it has lead in it, and that's not good."
Watch: Racine residents welcome city's efforts to replace all lead service lines in the next five years
Hubbard, a Racine resident who lives in a property scheduled for service line replacement in 2027, said she has been concerned about lead in her drinking water her entire life. And the cost of buying bottled water isn't cheap.
"No, it's not. I have to buy five to six cases, and then I buy the gallons," Hubbard said.
She welcomed the news of the program moving forward.
"That's a great thing to do, because it's safety too, you know," Hubbard said.
According to Mayor Cory Mason, the city has already replaced about 2,000 lines, but more than 10,000 remain. He said the new program will allow those remaining lines to be addressed in a much shorter time frame.
"We are going to be in your neighborhoods and asking you to help us replace these lead pipes," Mason said.
The city is asking residents to fill out Right of Entry forms, which allow crews to access and replace home service lines at no cost. The city is delivering those forms to impacted homes and has made those forms available online. Residents can also find tools to determine what materials their service lines are made of, as well as a map showing when specific areas of the city are scheduled for replacements.
Racine resident Al Yarbrough said he believes the effort will benefit the broader community.
"I think that the city is trying to do something for the community that's helpful for the community," Yarbrough said.
Yarbrough added that the replacements are especially important for families.
"I think it's really important for the homeowner, especially for the children," Yarbrough said.
Hubbard echoed that sentiment.
"It will be a wonderful thing, and I pray to God that it happens," Hubbard said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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