Analysis cites limited capacity for new withdrawals from data centers and industry
A new study from Virginia’s Dept. of Environmental Quality paints a grim picture for the long-term viability of groundwater resources in the state’s eastern coastal region.
Released last month, the analysis warns that under current conditions, the Virginia Coastal Plain aquifer system will have limited capacity for new withdrawals by industrial users, including data centers.
The report attributes the limited capacity to decades of overconsumption by paper mills near Franklin and West Point, Va., and other industrial sources, as well as a large influx of domestic groundwater users. The large withdrawals have caused groundwater levels to fall below sea level, increasing subsidence and potential for saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers.
More authority should be given to the department, its report says, to deny permits for groundwater withdrawals in regions where subsidence is an issue or capacity is low, or where alternative water sources–such as surface water or water reuse supply – are available. The study recommends that the Virginia Assembly amend the 1992 law governing groundwater management to enable that authority
“This is the first time we’ve really done a comprehensive analysis of the entire groundwater system east of I-95 on the Virginia Coastal Plain, and the big takeaway here is we have got to get into the code and make some significant changes to [the department’s] authorities and really clarify [them],” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia Policy Manager Jay Ford told ENR. He added that overreliance on groundwater sources by industrial users and rapid data center growth have created a “system on the edge” requiring more stringent restrictions on data center water use.
SWIFT Groundwater Replenishment Program
One bright spot highlighted in the report is the Hampton Roads Sanitation District’s Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) program, which district officials say will replenish groundwater levels through aquifer recharge of treated wastewater. “We expect SWIFT to provide substantial, long-term benefits to the regional aquifer system by helping mitigate the impacts of groundwater withdrawals,” said Dan Holloway, a district hydrogeologist, in an email.
While noting SWIFT benefits, the report includes the caveat that the program is not a silver bullet and cautions that any major disruptions to its operations could quickly reverse any gains made.
Holloway disputes that conclusion, noting that the district «does not anticipate any conditions that would prevent long-term operation» of SWIFT. «It is a large, complex program requiring significant effort to develop and impellent, and we are committed to addressing any operational challenges that may arise,” he said. SWIFT also is designed to be a long-term solution, “and the cumulative benefits of sustained recharge greatly outweigh the effects of brief, episodic interruptions,” Holloway contend.
