Wisconsin regulators have approved a Milwaukee suburb’s request to divert Lake Michigan water, with a condition that the city submit water conservation plan details within 90 days describing how it will implement stronger conservation measures.

The New Berlin diversion proposal is the first test of the landmark Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact, which was developed by the eight Great Lakes states, approved unanimously by Congress and signed into law last fall.

The Alliance for the Great Lakes and National Wildlife Federation today praised New Berlin’s recent pledge to enhance its water conservation efforts in response to comments by the groups criticizing the lack of such a plan in its initial water request.

In support of its application, New Berlin passed a resolution in April committing to adopt a water conservation plan that includes specific measurable criteria, and to adhere to conservation standards yet to be developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The WDNR’s approval of New Berlin’s application Thursday is subject to the city’s future compliance with these standards.

The compact was written to give states latitude to tailor their own rules for how the pact will be put to work within their borders. “Now WDNR must make good on its commitment to follow through with strong rules that are protective of Great Lakes water,” said Alliance Water Conservation Program Director Edward Glatfelter.

Marc Smith, Great Lakes state policy manager for the National Wildlife Federation, concurred. “We will work with WDNR to institute the most protective water conservation requirements possible in rules under the compact that New Berlin and other communities will have to meet," he said.

New Berlin is located on both sides of the Great Lakes basin divide. The compact allows so-called straddling communities to apply for Great Lakes water if the water is returned, among other requirements. Under the compact, Wisconsin has the authority to approve applications from straddling communities without regional review and approval by the other Great Lakes states.

The city seeks to divert Lake Michigan water outside the basin to supply water to residents who have excessive radium levels in their well water.

The WDNR has authorized New Berlin to withdraw a maximum of 2.142 million gallons per day on average to areas of the city located outside the Great Lakes basin. In accordance with the compact, the city must return the water to the Lake Michigan basin via the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, resulting in no net loss of water from the Great Lakes basin.

The compact, a first-of-its-kind Great Lakes water management pact, recognizes the Great Lakes as a finite resource and bans diversion of its waters -- with limited exceptions – while setting standards for water use and conservation within the basin.