MILWAUKEE (AP) Milwaukee is getting a $1 million state loan to begin the costly task of replacing 70,000 lead water pipes throughout the city.

Public works officials say the priority is replacing pipes to 385 state-licensed day care centers in Milwaukee, since none of the city's public schools get their water through lead pipes. The work will take three years.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported it would cost $500 million to $750 million to fully replace all the city's lead service lines, which connect water mains with residences built before 1951. The work might take three to five decades, though the timetable could be sped up if federal funds become available.

Absent disturbances from construction projects, which can increase lead levels, tests confirm Milwaukee's tap water is safe to drink.