Vineland resident warns proposed data center could drain Kirkwood aquifer

Mary Ann Laieli, a Vineland resident, told the Bonham City Council during public comment on May 26 that a planned Royal Data Centers facility near Vineland would draw from the municipal supply that sits above what she identified as the Kirkwood Kihanze aquifer and could harm regional farming and water resources.

Laieli said the aquifer underlies much of South Jersey and cited figures she said were from her research — roughly 3,000 square miles and about 17,000,000,000,000 gallons of fresh water — and said the data-center project estimates an annual water consumption of about 20,000,000 gallons. She told the council she had not found a completed NJDEP air- or water-permit record for the project as of April 2026 and called for an independent environmental study before the city moves forward.

"Most of the wetlands, lakes, streams, and rivers in South Jersey is water that seeps or flows directly from the ground from this aquifer," Laieli said. "It is a relatively shallow aquifer, and shallow aquifers close to the surface are likely to be used for water supply and irrigation."

Laieli also said she had heard public commentary characterizing protesters as "fake news" and "paid protesters" and urged the council not to dismiss resident concerns. She asked the council to ensure the city has reliable, transparent information about permitting and water impacts before approving actions that could affect agricultural operations.

The council did not respond during the public-comment period; members later continued routine business and put other agenda items to a vote. The record from the public comment does not include a city staff response or a staff presentation providing independent environmental analysis during the May 26 meeting.

What happens next: Laieli and other residents flagged the permitting and water-use questions during public comment; the council did not take formal action on the data-center concerns at the May 26 meeting.