Lead Service Line Replacement Program

April 21, 2026 is the estimated first day that property owners may apply for the private-side Lead Service Line Replacement program.

The City of Rice Lake takes the issue of lead in drinking water very seriously. Since property owners in Rice Lake own a portion of the water service line (see the illustration below), there is a shared responsibility to manage lead exposure. On February 10, 2026, the Common Council of the City of Rice Lake passed Ordinance No. 26-01, titled Private Lead Service Line Replacement Financing. The purpose of the ordinance is to facilitate loans to property owners to replace private lead service lines by treating principal and interest repayments, fees, and other charges for these loans as special charges eligible for inclusion on the tax bill for these properties.

Homeowner Forms

(All Forms Will be Used During the Process)

Homeowner Checklist
#1 - LSL Program Eligibility and Participation Policy
#2 - LSL Application
#3 - LSL Application for Funding
#4 - LSL Program Completion Form

Contractor Documents

More Information About Lead in Your Drinking Water

Grant & Loan Program

The City of Rice Lake has received funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which allows for a 75% grant (not to exceed $3,750) to aid in the replacement of eligible private lead or galvanized services. Along with the grant, owners can choose to finance the remainder of the replacement over 5 years at 2% interest on a per annum basis.

Service Line Identification

Please call our office at 715-234-7004 to see if we have record of what type of service line you have. If not, we can schedule an appointment to verify the service line material. To identify the service line material yourself, please see the DNR's document: How to Identify LSLs or Galvanized Iron/Steel Service Pipes (PDF).

Homeowner Forms

A property owner will complete four documents over the course of the program. These address:

Document 1 - Eligibility and conditions of participation
Document 2 - Formal application for review by Rice Lake Utilities
Document 3 - Loan funding application
Document 4 - Project completion form for invoicing and payments

These forms are available via the links at the top right of this page.