Waterford trustees impose temporary moratorium on data‑center approvals amid water, energy concerns

Waterford Township trustees voted March 23 to adopt a temporary moratorium on approval of data centers while staff prepares ordinance language to regulate the industry.

The moratorium (zoning ordinance 2026‑Z‑003) passed by roll call after trustees and staff raised concerns about the township’s limited regulatory language for data centers and the potential strain on local water and energy systems. Jeff Pukoski, Waterford’s director of development services, told the board the township’s current ordinances predate data centers and lack standards for water‑use management and related infrastructure. He said a good ordinance would require applicants to demonstrate a water‑resource management plan — for example, showing use of a closed‑loop system or an agreement to bring water from a regional supplier — before approval.

“Data centers have been built all over our state,” Pukoski said, adding that while they can bring construction and tech jobs, the township must protect its water and utilities. Board members also discussed energy consumption and noted trade‑offs between closed‑loop water systems and other cooling technologies.

Trustees emphasized the moratorium is a precautionary measure taken before any applications are filed. Pukoski said the township had no active data‑center proposals at the time and that placing a moratorium before applications appear reduces legal risk and gives the township time to research best practices and technical standards.

The moratorium goes into effect under state timing rules and will remain while staff and the planning commission draft ordinance language and develop criteria for conditional approvals. The board also adopted a companion resolution establishing the temporary moratorium on applications.

What’s next: staff will research water‑management and energy standards for data centers, consult the planning commission, and return proposed ordinance language to the trustees for consideration at a future meeting.