Offshore Atlantic freshwater reservoir confirmed, NYC could be supplied for centuries
A drilling expedition (IODP-NSF Expedition 501) off Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard confirmed a massive freshwater reservoir buried beneath the Atlantic seafloor along the U.S. Northeast, extending from New Jersey to Maine. Recovered low-salinity water and a robust impermeable cap suggest the reservoir formed about 20,000 years ago during the last glacial period, and it could theoretically supply New York City with drinking water for around 800 years. While offshore extraction would require new infrastructure and carries environmental uncertainties, the finding implies potential, long-term backup water resources in other coastal regions as well.