New discovery aims to tackle water scarcity driven by demand for AI

Nearly 50 years ago, a US government ship drilling off the northeastern United States in search of minerals and hydrocarbons made an unexpected discovery: fresh water beneath the salty seafloor. This summer, a first-of-its-kind global research expedition returned to investigate, drilling off Cape Cod and collecting thousands of samples from what is now believed to be a vast, hidden aquifer stretching from the most-Eastern US states of New Jersey to Maine.

The discovery is part of a growing recognition of “secret fresh water” reservoirs found under shallow salt waters around the world. Brandon Dugan, co-chief scientist of the expedition and a geophysicist and hydrologist at the Colorado School of Mines, explained to AP the importance of exploring all potential sources to meet society’s increasing water demands. 

The expedition collected nearly 50,000 liters of water, which will be analyzed in labs worldwide to determine its origins—whether it stems from glacial melt, land-based groundwater systems, or a combination of sources.

The potential of such undersea aquifers is enormous, but extracting the water presents significant challenges. Questions remain about ownership, usage rights, and the environmental impact of large-scale extraction. It may take years, if not decades, to determine whether the water can be sustainably tapped for public consumption.

As the article points out, global water scarcity is intensifying. The United Nations predicts that within five years, demand for fresh water will exceed supply by 40 percent. Coastal freshwater sources are increasingly compromised by rising sea levels caused by climate change, while technological infrastructure like data centers consumes vast quantities of water. 

In Virginia alone, data centers currently use a quarter of the state’s electricity production and are projected to nearly double their water consumption in the next five years. Each midsize data center can consume as much water as 1,000 households.

The discovery off Cape Cod is not unique to the United States. Cape Town, South Africa, nearly exhausted its water supply in 2018 during a three-year drought affecting nearly five million residents. Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that similar coastal undersea freshwater reserves exist on every continent, presenting a largely untapped opportunity to supplement conventional freshwater sources.

By Nazrin Sadigova