Rapid City Data Center to Address Drought Challenges with Efficient Cooling System
More than half of South Dakota is experiencing drought. The planned Sequitor Edge data center in Rapid City is addressing these water challenges by implementing a closed-loop cooling system, designed to use significantly less water than traditional data centers and even local households.
South Dakota is experiencing a significant drought, with over half the state affected and Western South Dakota reporting some of the lowest soil moisture levels. Amidst this, Rapid City is preparing for new development, including a planned data center, raising critical questions about water availability.
Laura Edwards, the South Dakota State Climatologist with SDSU Extension, noted that warmer temperatures have accelerated evaporation, worsening the drought. However, the proposed Sequitor Edge data center, planned for the Black Hills Industrial Center in Rapid City, aims to mitigate its environmental impact by utilizing a closed-loop cooling system.
The facility is designed to use approximately 65,000 gallons of water for its initial phase one fill and then about 110,000 gallons annually for ongoing operations. For context, this annual consumption is less than what two Rapid City households use in a year. In contrast, a traditional data center without a closed-loop system could use hundreds of thousands of gallons daily. Victoria Blatchford, Vice President of Community Relations and Business Development for Sequitor Edge, commented on the "sad state of affairs" regarding the drought, highlighting the importance of water-efficient designs.