Bill > SB56

This bill modifies existing regulations regarding the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP), which provides financial assistance to local governments and private community water system owners for improving public water systems. Currently, there is a restriction preventing the use of federal capitalization grants to provide principal forgiveness to private water system owners. The bill specifically creates an exception to this prohibition, allowing federal capitalization grant funds to be used for forgiving loans that fund lead service line replacements. By doing so, the legislation aims to facilitate the removal of lead service lines, which can pose significant health risks, particularly to children, by removing a financial barrier that might previously have prevented private water system owners from replacing these potentially dangerous infrastructure components. The bill maintains the existing administrative framework where the Department of Administration and the Department of Natural Resources continue to manage the SDWLP, with DNR establishing project funding lists and DOA allocating the funds, but introduces this targeted flexibility for lead service line replacement financing.

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https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/proposals/reg/sen/bill/sb56