Hampton Roads’ groundwater supply is under threat, new analysis shows
Eastern Virginia's groundwater supply, critical for the Hampton Roads region, is being depleted at an unsustainable rate, with data centers identified as significant industrial users contributing to the demand. A new report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality warns that the situation could become critical within 5-10 years, prompting some state lawmakers to call for a special session of the General Assembly to address the issue and potentially tighten groundwater withdrawal regulations. The report also suggests that there is almost no capacity for additional large businesses, including data centers, east of I-95 without action.
A new report by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reveals that eastern Virginia's groundwater supply, particularly the Potomac aquifer system in the Hampton Roads coastal region, is being depleted at an unsustainable rate. The report projects that without intervention, groundwater usage could become unsustainable within five to ten years due to growing demand from large industrial users, including data centers, and impacts from climate change like saltwater contamination. Jay Ford, Virginia policy manager for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, expressed concern, stating that the aquifer has "almost no capacity to support additional big businesses east of I-95," which he described as "a complete hold on economic development."
The DEQ report, prompted by a 2024 General Assembly law, highlights the complex nature of the aquifer system and the challenges in estimating total water levels. While previous management efforts in the mid-2010s temporarily stabilized the deficit, trends reversed by 2021. Major withdrawal sites around paper mills in Franklin and West Point have created lasting "cones of depression." The report also notes that lawful unpermitted withdrawals, such as private drinking water wells, account for a significant portion of total usage.
State lawmakers are urging a special session of the General Assembly to address the report's findings. DEQ officials are seeking greater authority to deny groundwater withdrawal permits when usage is deemed unsustainable. Recommendations include tightening regulations on groundwater permitting, improving monitoring of private well usage, and careful consideration of concepts like groundwater trading. The report also assessed the Hampton Roads Sanitation District's (HRSD) SWIFT initiative, which injects treated wastewater into the Potomac aquifer. While SWIFT aims to meet nutrient pollution regulations and offers secondary benefits like water supply replenishment, DEQ suggests its localized gains "dissipate rapidly" once injections cease, calling for real-time monitoring and evaluation of other potential project locations.