SHOREWOOD — It’s a health concern that's caused panic across the state.
Tens of thousands in southeastern Wisconsin learned a couple of weeks ago that their drinking water is flowing into their homes through lead pipes.
We’ve reported countless times over the years on lead pipes in Milwaukee. While that’s been well documented, what hasn’t gotten much attention is the scope of the problem elsewhere.
State data shows Shorewood and Whitefish Bay have the largest share of lead pipes in Wisconsin.
For the last eight years, Janelle Smarella has lived in her home without worrying about what’s in her water. That changed when this letter arrived in the mail.
"People living in homes with a lead service line may have an increased risk of exposure to lead from their drinking water,” the notice reads.
Janelle couldn’t believe what looked crystal clear to her, may have been harming her health all along.
Watch: The two Milwaukee suburbs with the highest percentage of lead service lines
"I have lots of friends in the neighborhood with small kids,” she said. “To just find out about this now. I mean, that's a little unsettling, to say the least."
It’s part of a new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rule that requires municipalities to alert residents about lead service lines—and to replace them over a decade.
A study by the Wisconsin Policy Forum identified the 15 communities with the highest percentage of municipally-owned lead service lines using data published by Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission.
Topping the list is Shorewood at 82 percent. It’s followed by Whitefish Bay at 56 percent.
When you add confirmed or suspected lead service lines on the private side, meaning from the curb stop to the house, Whitefish Bay’s figure jumps to 82 percent according to 2023 data.
"That kind of blows my mind a little bit because I feel like this is a very affluent neighborhood, Whitefish Bay and Shorewood, so it would seem to me that something of that consequence would have already been taken care of or at least brought to residents' attention before now,” Janelle said. “We know that this is a big issue."
Shorewood Village Trustee Matt McGovern got the same notice in the mail.
"We just assumed that we would have them because we have an old house."
While McGovern wasn’t surprised given Shorewood is one of Milwaukee’s oldest suburbs, he knows several residents aren’t pleased about all of the red covering this village map which shows all of its lead pipes.
“Many of them wonder why they’re just hearing about this now. What would be your response to Shorewood residents who have that concern? Reporter Ben Jordan asked.
"It's something that Shorewood residents don't want in their home,” McGovern said. “Lead is a brain poison, it's especially harmful to children and harmful to adults."
“Is that acceptable?” Jordan asked.
"No, no,” McGovern replied. “We've got to take them all out and we're going to replace them all."
Similar to Whitefish Bay, Shorewood leaders say the biggest obstacle is the cost. Both communities estimate it could be around a $50 million project.
It’s estimated that lead pipe removal on the homeowner’s side could cost $8,000. McGovern says the impact on future Shorewood property taxes or water bills remains unknown.
"No one likes to see their taxes go up but I think most people in Shorewood feel that the investment in safe drinking water is worth it,” he said.
Adding to the cost concerns is the new timeline. McGovern says Shorewood originally planned to remove its lead pipes over a 20-year period. Now it has to be done by 2037.
Jordan asked Janelle if she thought it was worth the cost.
"For longevity, I think it's the right thing to do, it's just unfortunate it's taken so long to get to where we are,” she replied.
In the meantime, Janelle is searching for a temporary fix online to filter the lead out of her drinking water.
It isn’t just Shorewood and Whitefish Bay. Wauwatosa has the fourth-highest percentage of lead pipes in the state, coming in right ahead of Milwaukee.
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