Kenosha committee approves pursuing 100% grants for private-side lead service line replacements

Kenosha’s Finance Committee on July 6 approved a plan to seek Safe Drinking Water Loan Program funding that would let the city offer 100% grants to homeowners to replace private-side lead service lines.

A city presenter told the committee the program would be targeted to specific census-tract areas rather than offered citywide. “It’ll be roughly 1,250, give or take,” the presenter said when asked how many homes the grants would cover.

The presenter said the approach was designed to improve efficiency and reduce per-unit costs by working geographically through a focused footprint rather than operating strictly on a first-come, first-served basis. When the clerk asked whether the program would be first-come, the presenter said it would not and described the geographic, phased approach as a cost-control measure.

Committee members voted to approve the request; the transcript records the vote as 5 to 0 in favor. The clerk called the roll of those recorded as voting yes: Alderperson Davenport, Alderperson Dyson, Alderperson Dever, Alderperson Rosenberg and Chairperson Kurt Wilson.

The presenter asked the committee for support; the committee’s approval allows staff to proceed with pursuing the state loan program funds and to implement the targeted replacement plan.

Next steps identified in the discussion included moving ahead with the grant application and coordinating work by geographic area to capture efficiencies and lower costs. Specific program timelines and an exact list of properties to be served were not provided in the committee record.