Milwaukee daycares may be required to have lead laterals replaced

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee day care centers with lead laterals may soon be required to have them replaced. On Thursday the Public Safety and Health Committee talked about how they could make it happen.

The city attorney says that it is legal to require the replacement of all lead pipes at Milwaukee daycares. Right now the city still has not heard back from about 45 daycare centers with lead laterals.

Through a grant, the replacement of both private and public lead laterals at daycares would be paid for by the city.

The daycare would have to be provided notice of the replacement work and Water Works says they would provide the daycare bottled water to use during the replacement.

Alderwoman Milele Coggs presented to the committee and says replacing the lead laterals will help protect Milwaukee kids from the dangers of lead poisoning, “The city has undertaken working with the child care facilities who deal with some of our most vulnerable populations: children under the age of six to attempt to replace those that have lead lateral so there can be a little less lead exposure for that population.”

No specific action was taken at Thursday’s meeting.