Ypsilanti Township Approves 12-Month Water Moratorium for Data Centers

The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution on April 17, 2026, calling for a 12-month moratorium on providing water to data centers. The board requested that the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) conduct environmental and water system studies to evaluate wastewater management, long-term capacity, and the financial burden on ratepayers before any further commitments to large computing facilities are made.

This action stems from local opposition to a planned $1.2-billion high-performance computing facility developed by the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Although the university is exempt from local zoning requirements, township officials expressed concerns that the facility, which could consume 500,000 gallons of water daily, might exceed treatment plant capacity and create wastewater pollution. Officials also warned that nuclear weapons research conducted at the site could make the facility a target for terrorists.

YCUA Executive Director Luke Blackburn confirmed the utility will address the request during its April 22 board meeting and intends to perform the recommended studies. Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo criticized the state of Michigan's role in promoting these facilities, calling the resulting stress on residents "unforgivable."