Virginia DEQ Groundwater Report Highlights Sustainability Concerns in Eastern Virginia
A delayed Virginia state report on groundwater usage in eastern Virginia, particularly Hampton Roads, reveals an alarming forecast of increased water withdrawal, straining the Potomac aquifer system. The report warns of potential subsidence and saltwater intrusion within 5-10 years and states there's no capacity for additional industrial consumers like data centers. It recommends granting regulators more authority to reject water-intensive projects and developing local groundwater use plans.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) released a delayed report on groundwater usage in eastern Virginia, particularly impacting the Hampton Roads region. The report, initially mandated by the General Assembly at the insistence of State Sen. Richard Stuart, was completed in January but only made public in July after a reporter inquired about it from Gov. Abigail Spanberger's office. Its release followed months of legislative debate over data center proliferation and the state budget.
The DEQ's assessment of the Potomac aquifer system forecasts an alarming future, estimating a withdrawal rate increase of "200,000 to 300,000 gallons per day, on average, each year through 2050." Current water usage, particularly by two paper mills in Franklin and West Point, has already reduced groundwater to below sea level, leading to subsidence and the potential for saltwater intrusion.
The report concludes that without better management, the region could reach a critical tipping point within five to ten years, with no capacity for additional industrial consumers, including data centers. It recommends empowering regulators to reject water-intensive projects, encouraging local groundwater plans, increasing staff for data analysis, and raising permitting fees for monitoring. State Sens. Richard Stuart and Russet Perry are urging Governor Spanberger to convene a special legislative session to address these urgent sustainability concerns.