# Water Service Line Repair in Milwaukee, WI: Who Pays? | Who Pays the Repair?

> Milwaukee splits the water service line at the curb stop: the City owns main-to-curb, the owner owns curb-to-house, verified against Milwaukee Water Works.

**Who pays:** shared

Milwaukee splits the water service line at the curb stop: the City owns the street-to-curb section and the homeowner owns curb-to-house, including if it is lead.

**Boundary:** City-owned: water main to the curb stop. Owner-owned: curb stop to the home. The split matters because Milwaukee is mid-program replacing tens of thousands of lead service lines and the private portion is the owner’s.

**Property owner:** Own and maintain the service line from the curb stop to the home, including replacement of the private (owner-side) lead service line.

**City / agency:** The City of Milwaukee (Milwaukee Water Works) owns the portion from the water main to the curb stop.

**Exceptions:** Lead-service-line replacement programs may subsidize or coordinate the owner-side replacement

## Sources
- [Lead Pipes and Your Drinking Water: City-vs-owner split at the curb stop](https://city.milwaukee.gov/water/LeadPipes) — "The portion from the water main to the curb stop is owned by the City, and the portion from the curb stop to your home is owned by the property owner." (accessed 2026-09-11)
- [Lead Pipes and Your Drinking Water: Owner Request Program (private line at owner cost)](https://city.milwaukee.gov/water/LeadPipes) — "Owner Request Program: Allows property owners to voluntarily replace their private lead service lines at their own cost." (accessed 2026-09-11)
- [Lead Pipes / Lead Service Line Replacement](https://city.milwaukee.gov/water/LeadPipes) — "The Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 225-22.5 requires a full replacement (publicly-owned portion and privately-owned portion) of the lead service line with copper ... there will be no cost to owners of properties with 1-4 "dwelling units"" (accessed 2026-09-27)

_Last verified 2026-09-11. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/milwaukee-wi-water-service-line/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._