MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee has a new connection to the capital city of China.

On Thursday, the 'Metropolitan Sewerage District' signed a 'Sister Utilities' agreement with Beijing's Water Authority.

The ceremony took place at Milwaukee's Global Water Center.

The agreement encourages both utilities to exchange ideas about how to protect vital water resources and how to keep water safe for people to use.

"Water being centric to life as we all know that it is, this is a good point for the world to join together on an issue that means our survival," said John Hermes, Commision Chairman with MMSD.

A group from MMSD was just in China last week, sharing its water technology expertise with officials there.