CIP Wins National Award, Setting a New Standard for Eliminating Lead Pipes at Scale

Providence, RI (June 23, 2026) – Community Infrastructure Partners (CIP) isn’t just participating in the future of infrastructure; it is fundamentally reshaping it. Today, the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative (LSLRC) recognized CIP with its prestigious “Outstanding Leadership in LSL Replacement” award for the EquiFlow Lead Free Program in Wausau, Wisconsin, elevating the program as a national model for how infrastructure can be financed, delivered, and scaled in a fundamentally different way.

This recognition comes at a defining moment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 4 million lead service lines remain in use across the country, and there is no safe level of lead exposure, especially for children, where it can impair brain development and lower IQ. Addressing this crisis requires more than funding; it requires a new way of delivering outcomes. The Collaborative itself was launched in the wake of the Flint, Michigan water crisis and now brings together 28 national organizations committed to accelerating lead pipe replacement through shared best practices, collaboration, and innovation.

Against this backdrop, CIP has emerged as a clear industry disruptor. In Wausau, a program originally expected to take 15 years and cost more than $100 million has been transformed into a five-year, $60 million initiative delivering the same outcome more than a decade faster while avoiding over $40 million in costs. In the first year, EquiFlow removed over 1,000 lines and has since surpassed 2,600 in less than two years. This transformation was not driven by new funding but by a radically different approach to execution and outreach, securing over a 98% consent rate across 8,000+ homes visited.

The broader industry is taking notice. As the LSLR Collaborative celebrates its 10th anniversary, CIP’s recognition underscores the growing urgency to rethink how lead service line replacement is executed nationwide. Programs like EquiFlow are proving that with the right structure, communities can move faster, protect public health more effectively, and maximize every dollar invested.

“LSL replacement is complex. It involves communicating with the public about health risks, engaging homeowners, coordinated planning, and thoughtful program design,” said Lynn Thorp, President of Clean Water Action and a steering committee member of the Collaborative. “We see much more effective programs when partners come together to leverage each other’s strengths, and today’s award recipients are real life examples of that dedication.”

That collaborative mindset, paired with CIP’s model, is what sets the company apart. As CIP CEO Shawn Kerachsky noted, this recognition reflects not only a different way of structuring infrastructure, but a different level of results—faster delivery, lower costs, and accountability that has rarely been seen in the sector.

With millions of lead pipes still in the ground and an urgent need to protect public health, incremental change is no longer enough. CIP has demonstrated that a new playbook is not only possible but is already delivering measurable results. As more communities seek solutions that balance speed, affordability, and accountability, the model pioneered in Wausau is quickly becoming a blueprint for nationwide transformation.

Community Infrastructure Partners is a next-generation infrastructure delivery firm focused on solving complex public challenges through innovative finance, programmatic execution, and strategic community outreach. Its EquiFlow platform is redefining how communities eliminate lead service lines—quickly, affordably, and without shifting risk onto residents.