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TO:

Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council

FROM:

Steven M. Gohde, Assistant Director of Public Works/Utilities General Manager

DATE:

November 12, 2024

SUBJECT:

Res 24-576 Adopt Updated Lead Service Line Replacement Policy

BACKGROUND

The City of Oshkosh (City) first adopted a mandatory lead water service line replacement ordinance and related policy in 2017. Since then, the policy and ordinance have been updated to reflect new regulations and guidance from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and to increase the maximum amount of financial assistance provided to property owners. From 2017 through 2023, the WDNR funding to the City for financially assisting property owners was principal forgiveness loans and the requirements were fairly stable. Beginning in 2024, the source of funding is changing at the Federal level and how the City can use the funding to assist property owners is changing.

ANALYSIS

The Common Council approved changes to the current policy in April 2024 to be consistent with the new loan from the WDNR. These changes included increasing the maximum financial assistance amount for property owners to $2,700, establishing a loan program with up to ten (10) years repayment between the City and the property owner to provide the financial assistance, and utilizing Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) through the City’s Community Development Department to provide additional financial assistance for low income families.

The proposed changes now are to update the eligibility requirements to match the final version of the WDNR Financial Assistance Agreement (FAA). The policy will be updated so that instead of the ninety (90) day requirement for replacement of both the public-side and private-side lead water service line, it will be one hundred eighty (180) days. The policy will also be revised to read that the 180-day requirement does not apply to partial service line replacements completed prior to August 8, 2024, instead of October 25, 2023.

FISCAL IMPACT

There is no fiscal impact to the City related to approving the amendment to the program. Financial Assistance is only provided when a designated funding source is available.

RECOMMENDATION

I recommend approval of the amendment to the Lead Service Line Replacement Policy.

Attachments

RES 24-576

Amended LSLR policy