Ypsilanti Township officials are asking a regional utility authority to pause new water and sewer approvals for data centers while the possible impact on local infrastructure is studied.
The request goes before the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority, or YCUA, just days after the township board approved a resolution calling for a 12-month pause.
Township leaders approved the resolution at a special April 15 meeting focused entirely on the issue. It asks YCUA to temporarily stop approving water and sewer service for data centers while officials study possible effects on water use, wastewater treatment, infrastructure and costs to existing customers.
Officials say the concern is not just how much water a data center might use, but what that demand could mean for the sewer system and future growth.
Township attorney Wm. Douglas Winters said sewer capacity may be the more immediate issue because it is limited.
“Sewer capacity is really finite,” Winters said. “That’s what’s going to determine if other development can occur.”
In other words, township officials worry that if large data centers take up too much room in the sewer system, it could affect future homes, businesses and other development.
The resolution cites industry guidance saying large data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water a day. It asks YCUA to study long-term water supply, sewer capacity, environmental effects, emergency response needs and whether added costs could be passed on to current customers and ratepayers.
The April 15 vote was the township’s latest move on the issue.
On March 31, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved Resolution 2026-05 opposing Los Alamos National Laboratory siting a nuclear research facility anywhere in Ypsilanti Township. Minutes show that meeting drew 19 public comments before the vote. Trustee Karen Lovejoy Roe was absent.
Since then, township officials have shifted from broad opposition to a more targeted strategy focused on water and sewer service.
That matters because local officials may have limited control over some development decisions, but YCUA plays a direct role in whether major projects can get the water and sewer service they need.
Residents also raised concerns at the April 15 special meeting, including worries about water use, pollution, noise, light, property values and what a large facility near neighborhoods could mean for daily life. Some said they were worried about not being able to enjoy their homes the same way. Others said people who live nearby cannot simply pick up and move if conditions change.
Officials also tied the issue to state policy. During the meeting, Winters said data centers are being drawn to Michigan by tax incentives, available power and access to water. He said township officials are trying to slow the process long enough for communities and utilities to better understand the consequences.
Clerk Debbie Swanson said the township has handled tough infrastructure issues before by taking a careful, step-by-step approach.
“We are going to do a lot more, but we have to be methodical about it,” Swanson said
The YCUA board agenda for April 22 includes a request to approve Resolution 26-08, which would place a moratorium on water and sewer service approvals for data centers while those studies are completed.
What happens next could matter beyond Ypsilanti Township. YCUA serves multiple communities, so its decision could help show how local governments and regional utilities may respond as more data center proposals emerge in Washtenaw County and across Michigan.
Featured photo: A map from Ypsilanti Township shows land owned by the University of Michigan near the Huron River, where a proposed data center project has raised concerns among residents and local officials. Photo courtesy of Ypsilanti Township via Facebook
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