After testing some 40 homes in Ashland, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has found five of those homes have lead levels higher than the state threshold. TheAshlandDailyPress reports that when 10% of the sample results exceed 15 parts per billion, the sample is considered unsafe. In a press release, Public Works Director John Butler said the city understands the seriousness of the effects lead can have on health. Chemicals are added to at the treatment plant to coat pipes so that lead does not leach into the water, but many homes in the city still have lead pipes. The city continues to work on replacing lead pipes in the water system, and financial assistance from the Department of Natural Resources is available to homeowners who have lead pipes in their home. More information can be found at coawi.org.