ABERDEEN, S.D. — The City of Aberdeen has sold and transported nearly 1 million gallons of treated bulk water across state lines to support the construction of a massive hyperscale data center in Ellendale, North Dakota.
Since June 2026, logistics firm Roughrider Transportation Inc., based out of Mandan, North Dakota, has been purchasing the water directly from Aberdeen’s public works shop. The hauled water is being used at Applied Digital’s Ellendale facility for a crucial “flush and fill” operation—a technical procedure designed to clear construction debris from the facility’s closed-loop cooling system and test for leaks prior to introducing final coolant.
City officials confirmed that the temporary bulk sales pose no threat to municipal supplies, noting that Aberdeen maintains ample capacity to fulfill the contract without affecting local residential or commercial needs.
The cross-border sale highlights a stark contrast in regional data center development. While supplying the North Dakota facility, Aberdeen is simultaneously navigating its own digital infrastructure landscape. The city currently holds an active moratorium on local data centers while leaders draft comprehensive development policies. At the same time, Aberdeen is aggressively expanding its water infrastructure, highlighted by a new $14.5 million water tower project and continued collaboration on the regional Water Resources Improvement Project (WINS) to secure a long-term water pipeline from the Missouri River.
