Lead in Drinking Water Solutions
Addressing lead exposure to protect public health and support regulatory compliance.
Providing statewide support in Wisconsin for lead in drinking water
Coordinating technical assistance for community water systems across the state for Lead and Copper Rule compliance
As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) introduce new requirements, community water systems across the U.S. must develop accurate service line inventories, implement replacement programs, expand sampling and meet increasingly complex reporting and public communication obligations. For many utilities, particularly smaller systems with limited staff and resources, meeting these requirements consistently can be difficult. Without coordinated guidance, implementation may vary, increasing compliance risks and slowing progress toward reducing lead exposure.
To address this challenge in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) contracted Jacobs to support communities with coordinated statewide technical assistance, making practical tools, consistent guidance and ongoing support available to more than 1,000 community water systems. To date, the program has supported more than 500 water systems with navigating regulatory requirements, strengthening compliance and preparing for LCRI implementation.
Working alongside the Wisconsin DNR, Jacobs established and continues to deliver a comprehensive technical assistance program across the state that has evolved from supporting initial LCRR service line inventories to providing additional LCRI technical assistance. Our team developed standardized workflows, templates, dashboards and reporting tools that support utilities with documenting service line materials, managing inventory data, planning replacements, meeting sampling and notification requirements, and preparing regulatory reporting. We also created training resources, outreach materials, FAQs and a dedicated helpdesk to provide timely, consistent support across participating systems. By combining practical implementation tools with coordinated program management and real-time performance tracking, we're supporting delivery of a more consistent, scalable and efficient approach to Lead and Copper Rule compliance across Wisconsin, ensuring that utilities are better prepared for future regulatory requirements to deliver safer drinking water for communities statewide.
