Ypsilanti, Mich., water system approves 12-month moratorium on supplying data centers

The Ypsilanti, Michigan, board of trustees unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on supplying water to data centers, citing concerns over water capacity, environmental impact, and public welfare. The resolution was spurred by active opposition to a proposed $1.2-billion high-performance computing facility by the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory, which could consume up to 500,000 gallons of water daily. Another project by Thor Equities in Augusta Township is also within the affected service territory. Ypsilanti Township Attorney Doug Winters emphasized the need to "hit the pause button" on data center developments to assess their impact on the environment and the township's ability to support other businesses and housing. He specifically highlighted the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) wastewater treatment plant's limited capacity. YCUA Executive Director Luke Blackburn confirmed the utility plans to address the moratorium request at an upcoming meeting and conduct recommended studies to evaluate long-term capacity, financial impacts on ratepayers, and infrastructure needs. Further concerns include data centers' potential for massive wastewater production, chemical pollution, and warmed discharge water. The resolution from the Ypsilanti board also follows a previous one on March 31st opposing the University of Michigan and Los Alamos project, partly due to Los Alamos's nuclear weapons research. Although the University of Michigan, as a public entity, is exempt from local zoning, the township aims to address broader impacts, with future resolutions anticipated regarding data center noise and power use.