For the first time in recent history, the North Mankato/Mankato region must deal with the tension of significant economic development opportunities coming face to face with the reality of the finite resources of the Minnesota River Valley.
Competing interests are thirsting for the water of the Mount Simon Aquifer. The issue has come to a head in North Mankato where the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy has sued the city over its planning process regarding potential data centers that would be the biggest user of water in the region by far.
The Mount Simon Aquifer is the deepest aquifer left in Minnesota covering much of the southeastern part of the state north to Hinckley. Mankato and North Mankato are located at the far western end of the aquifer and draw drinking water from it.
North Mankato and Great River Energy have been discussing a potential data center or other industrial development and have lobbied the state to create an exemption to how much water they can use from the aquifer, according to the MCEA lawsuit.
The project would consume an estimated 30 million gallons of water a day, according to the city. That compares to the city’s total use of about 1.45 million gallons a day. That usage would exceed limits on water draws and would be subject to various permit requirements from the Department of Natural Resources, which requires a permit for anyone using 1 million gallons a year or more.
The aquifer continues to be studied to determine at what rate water is used and at what rate it is replenished. Experts say there is not enough data to establish a long-term trend and that understanding replenishing rates is complex, according to an in-depth report in last Sunday’s Free Press. One study, conducted for the city of Mankato and the Twin Cities in 2009 showed use of the aquifer was exceeding replenishing rates. At that time, the replenishing rate was estimated at 1.2 billion gallons per year. Current estimated use of the aquifer is 2.5 billion gallons a year, according to the DNR.
The city’s “broad” industrial plan or data center calls for water use of 30 million gallons a day, or 10.9 billion gallons a year. That would far exceed what would be an allowable withdrawal. Hence the reason for lobbying for an exemption.
That kind of water use should concern anyone who draws water from the aquifer. There’s tremendous risk in approving such a project.
And given the uncertainty of replenishing rates and climate change factors like drought, a drawdown of this amount on the aquifer could be disastrous for life and sustainability in the Mankato area.
Of course a huge data center by Google or Apple would likely mean billions of dollars of investment into the local economy, a detail that will carry considerable weight with anyone who wants to see the region grow economically.
And unfortunately our society has become accustomed to “free water” as such with the only cost being its transport from the ground to our homes.
At the very least, we need a robust debate before any city can risk the vital, finite and precious natural resources that must be shared by all. But economic development that depletes water for everyone will not have a return on investment for the community.