This week, the Avalon Atmospheric Theater transformed from a classic cinema house into a hub for public health advocacy for the premiere of The Fight for Progress: Wisconsin’s Push for Lead Pipe Replacement. 

Produced jointly by Wisconsin Conservation Voters and the BlueGreen Alliance, the 30-minute documentary moves past the headlines to show the human and economic reality of lead service line replacement.

“What sets this film apart is the unprecedented level of access we were granted,” said filmmaker Nels Lindquist, Visual Storytelling Manager for Wisconsin Conservation Voters. “It takes viewers from active jobsites all the way into the halls of power.”

Exploring efforts to replace lead service lines in the Wisconsin cities of Milwaukee, Wausau, and Racine, the film features raw interviews with the workers in the trenches, labor leaders, and city officials like Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who are racing against time to protect Wisconsin’s children from neurotoxic exposure.

“Lead contamination is an ongoing public health emergency, but it is also an opportunity to build a stronger Milwaukee and a stronger Wisconsin,” said Richard Diaz, Water Infrastructure Field Manager for BlueGreen Alliance and the film’s host. “This film shows that when we invest in our pipes, we aren’t just fixing infrastructure. We’re investing in union jobs and the health of every ZIP code.”

“Lead service line replacement has created good jobs for our union members across the state of Wisconsin,” said President of the Wisconsin Pipes Trades Association, Corey Gall. “It is crucial that we continue this work and finish the job we started.”

“Lead service line replacement in Wisconsin is urgent and must not be delayed,” said Saul Castillo, Director of Outreach and Equity, Wisconsin Laborers’ Apprenticeship and Training Fund. “Union labor has the workers and workforce needed to finish the job.”

“We are proud of the work our members have been doing to replace lead service lines,” said Terry McGowan, President and Business Manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139. “We are committed to continuing this work so all Wisconsinites have access to the safe drinking water they deserve.”

The screening was followed by a panel discussion focused on the urgent need for continued federal and state funding to ensure every lead pipe in Wisconsin is pulled from the ground.