The City of Wausau started their lead line removal project just over a year ago. Now, city officials are celebrating what they call a big milestone.
City officials gathered with partners and community members this week to celebrate the city's 1000th lead service line removal.
The EquiFlow Lead-Free Program launched early last year, aiming to replace all 8,000 of the city's lead service lines within the next five years.
"By the end of this construction season, we will be at over 2,000 lines and well on our way, " said Shawn Kerachsky, CEO of Community Infrastructure Partners (CIP). "As long as funding continues to come through at the state level, there is no way we can't get to those 8,000."
Gov. Tony Evers, made the trip to Wausau, and says it is vital to recognize the cost of the project, but also the importance.
"It is going to be ongoing," said Evers. "It is costly, but it is important, especially if you have kids in the household."
With funds under the new state budget, signed into law earlier this month, the City of Wausau projects that they will be able to skyrocket past last year's average--which was only 55 to 100 replacements.
"The pending legislation calls for a 10-year replacement plan," said Mayor Doug Diny, City of Wausau. "If we don't get started now, 8,000 service lines is quite a few to replace in 10 years."
CIP says the process Wausau has used should be emulated across the state.
"To do this with local based community organizations, partnerships with the union, and economic development across the board, that is how this should work," said Kerachsky. "That should all be about how you take large swaths of federal and state funding and pump it back into the local community."
While the city continues work on a better quality of life for community members, many still question the cost of the program, and officials say there is still plenty of work to be done in the near future.
