ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) —As talk of data centers and major industrial development grows in South Georgia, researchers and water policy experts are drawing attention to the resource that could determine how much growth the region can sustain: the Floridan Aquifer.

The aquifer, a limestone formation beneath the coastal plain, supplies water across South Georgia. Todd Rasmussen, a hydrologist who has studied Georgia’s water systems for more than three decades, said the region’s geology makes it a standout.

“This limestone that underlies the coastal plain is absolutely first-class aquifer,” Rasmussen said. “Clean, plentiful, abundant.”

A savings account underground

Rasmussen said the aquifer functions like a financial savings account — replenished during rainy seasons and drawn down during dry periods. He said the Dougherty Plain, in particular, offers strong water yields, with certain areas capable of producing extraordinary amounts.

“It’s a matter of just managing the aquifer to minimize the impact,” Rasmussen said. “By understanding the recharge process and how the water flows underground.”

Tracking use across the region

State researchers have spent years building systems to monitor those deposits and withdrawals. Mark Masters, who leads the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State, said Georgia has developed a database to track water use across the region.

“In Southwest Georgia, particularly on the Floridan Aquifer, we have done a lot to better understand existing and forecast use, and how that use impacts both our surface water and groundwater,” Masters said.

Quality as critical as quantity

With water-intensive developments like data centers potentially moving into the area, Rasmussen said the focus must expand beyond volume. He said what industries return to the water system matters as much as what they take out.

“You don’t want to discharge a kind of wastewater that gets in there that makes the water undrinkable,” Rasmussen said. “You may still have plenty of water, but it’s so contaminated, it’s just not worth using. The real issue is to couple both quantity and quality into the larger design.”

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