City of Wausau and Wausau Water Works has partnered with Community Infrastructure Partners (CIP) to reduce lead within the city drinking water distribution system.  The partnership program is called the Equiflow Lead Free Program.  The Equiflow Lead Free Program is an innovative public-private partnership for project delivery, with the goal of removing all lead water service lines within the City while maximizing the amount of federal funding available to minimize the overall cost of the replacements.  The Equiflow Lead Free Program began in 2024 to replace at least 550 lead water service lines, with increased number of replacements in subsequent years.

Using the Community-Based Public-Private Partnership, or CBP3, delivery model established by the EPA, the EquiFlow Lead Free Program is focused on replacing service lines quickly and effectively while creating socioeconomic and community benefits, including maximizing local, small, and minority-business utilization.

The use of this type of project delivery model was approved to try and maximize the amount of federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding over the next several years in order to maintain compliance with the proposed new USEPA Lead and Copper Rules.  The utility does not have the resources or the staff to administer such a large number of lead water service lines on an annual ongoing basis so CIP will be administering the majority of the planning, community outreach, inventory, design, bidding, contracting and overall management of the project.  The City Council will evaluate the Equiflow Lead Free Program annually along with proposed funding allocations for lead water service line replacement and determine how many lines will be replaced each year based on available funding and resources. 

 What is a water service line?

A water service line is the pipe that brings water from the water main in the street and connects to the water meter inside your home.  The City owns the water service line from the water main in the street to the curb stop and the homeowner owns the water service line from the curb stop to the water meter inside the home (see drawing below).  Water service lines are made of various materials, like copper, polyethylene, lead, or galvanized steel.

How do I know what type of service line I have in my home?

You can schedule an appointment or complete a self-verification of your water service line through the Equiflow website for a more convenient verification.

The City has prepared an interactive map of all of the homes in the city where you may enter your address and determine if you have an identified lead water service line.  If your home is determined to be unknown at this time then you should schedule an inspection or complete the self-verification to determine if you may be eligible for the Program.

This data was collected via tap cards, permits and Community Infrastructure Partners (CIP).

**Disclaimer: The data/map is not for commercial, legal, engineering, or other improper use.

To learn more about the EquiFlow Lead Reduction Program and the importance of this public health initiative, please visit the Program’s website.

Project Schedule and Work Areas

In 2024, the areas of the city where the state has approved funding for lead water service line replacement may be found here.  You will see the census tract numbers highlighted and the census tract borders highlighted.