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Important information about lead in your drinking water
Lead Service Line Locations

Replacement Progress Reporting

Construction Project Updates
View our Construction Project Updates for ongoing activity updates for the 2021 Lead Service Line Replacement project and to learn where the contractor will be working in the upcoming week.

Water Testing Resources
To have the water tested at your home, please contact one of the following certified laboratories in the area:
• Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene
(800) 442-4618
• Northern Lake Service, Inc.
(715) 478-2777

Additional Resources
To learn more about the potential health effects of lead and how you can have your child’s blood tested, please contact either:
• Wisconsin Division of Public Health
(608) 266-1251
• Public Health Madison & Dane County
(608) 266-4821

The National Lead Information Center can answer your questions and send you more general information regarding lead and lead hazards. They can be contacted by calling (800) 424-LEAD (5323).

To learn more about our ongoing 2021 Private Lead Service Line replacement program, view the project narrative and scope of work.

To learn more about reducing lead exposure around your home or business, please visit the EPA’s website at epa.gov/lead.

To view Stoughton’s most recent Water Quality Report, please click here to access ccr.stoughtonutilities.com.

Contact Us
For additional information, or if you have questions that weren't answered here, please contact us.
Drinking Water
Lead in the Environment
Lead is a naturally occurring metal that can be toxic to humans and animals if ingested. It can be found in the air, soil, water, and inside of our homes.

Lead has been used in many products found around the home in the form of paint, ceramics, plumbing materials, gasoline, batteries, and cosmetics. When lead is released into the air, it can travel long distances before settling to the ground.
Lead and Drinking Water
Although the majority of lead exposure comes from sources around the home and in the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that between 10 - 20% of lead exposure comes from drinking water.

Stoughton’s water does not have lead present when it leaves our wells and our water mains do not contain lead. However, water can be contaminated as it travels through the lead service pipes that connect some older homes to the water mains, since these service pipes can slowly corrode over time. You can easily determine if your water service line is lead by inspecting the water line entering your home from the street, usually located in the basement.

There are a number of factors that can contribute to the amount of lead that enters your drinking water, including the corosivity of the water, the temperature of the water as it passes through the pipes, and the length of time between water use while the water remains idle in the pipes. Hot water and water that has been sitting in the pipes for long periods of time are more likely to pick up contaminants from the pipes and fixtures.

Stoughton Utilities tests the drinking water each year for contaminants, including lead, to ensure that your drinking water continues to be safe to drink. In 2019, six homes returned samples that contained elevated levels of lead. The results from these tests are published yearly in a Consumer Confidence Report. Please click here to view the current Consumer Confidence Report.
Stoughton Utilities 2021 Systemwide Lead Replacement Program
View the Current Map of Remaining Known Lead Service Locations

Stoughton Utilities has worked with the Stoughton Utilities Committee and the Stoughton City Council to enact a new ordinance that declares lead service lines as a public nuisance and mandates the replacement of all public and privately-owned lead service lines.

We have worked closely with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in an effort to obtain grant funding to replace all lead service lines in 2021. This grant was awarded to Stoughton, and allows us to replace all private lead service lines in the city at no cost to individual homeowners.
What is Stoughton Utilities Doing Today?
Our goal is to replace 100% of lead service lines in the city prior to December 31, 2021. In preparation for our 2021 Systemwide Lead Replacement Program, Stoughton Utilities administrative staff worked with our engineering consultants to prepare a public bid to select a contractor to complete the project. The project was awarded to Five Star Energy Services.

Stoughton Utilities staff is working closely with Five Star Energy Services to coordinate the service line replacements. We are sharing the information found during the in-home service line verifications that were completed earlier in the year, which provides the contractor with the information they need to schedule replacements.

Stoughton Utilities views the elimination of lead from the public water supply as a community priority, and our efforts to do so persist during the COVID-19 pandemic, with added precautions taken for your safety and the safety of our employees. We take the threat of COVID-19 very seriously, and Stoughton Utilties technicians and Five Star Energy Service's employees will wear a face covering when entering your home and observe social distancing guidelines whenever possible. While SU and Five Star Energy Services employees are inside your home, we ask that you please follow all CDC recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including wearing a face covering and maintaining social distancing.
What's Next in 2021?
Homeowners that have lead service lines will be contacted by the construction contractor in the upcoming months to schedule the replacement. The contractor will require access to the home's basement during the replacement process, and water service will be unavailable until the replacement is complete. Typically, the service line replacement will require modifications to the plumbing inside the property's basement.

All residents of the city may be impacted by the project as roads are temporarily narrowed or closed during the work day while the new service lines are connected to the water main under the street. We do not predict any overnight road closures or long-term detours. Roads will be kept open whenever traffic can travel safely without being impacted by street excavation and without creating unsafe conditions for work crews.

This page will be regularly updated with project updates and information about our progress towards completion. We look forward to having a 100% lead-free drinking water system by the end of 2021!
 
Is My Home Affected?
Lead can enter your drinking water by coming into contact with plumbing materials that contain lead.
Health Effects of Lead
Lead is dangerous, and children and expectant mothers are more susceptible to its effects.
What You Can Do
Learn more about what you can do to reduce your exposure to lead in your drinking water.
Inside Your Home
Even newer homes may have internal plumbing fixtures that contain small amounts of lead.
 
Please note that the information shown below is not a guarantee that a parcel is or is not served by a lead service line. This map was created using historical information and records, inspection observations, and reconstruction project data, as well as some historical assumptions. You can help by contacting us with your findings following your lateral line verification.