Columbus City Council holds meeting about concerns, resolutions for data centers in central Ohio

The Columbus City Council is holding a meeting to examine the impact of the growing number of data centers in central Ohio. Central Ohio is home to more than 130 data centers, making it one of the top locations globally for these developments. City Council President Shannon Hardin noted that while most data centers are not built within the city of Columbus, the city's residents and service providers still bear the responsibility for supplying the electricity and water these facilities require. Experts provided perspectives on the issue at the meeting. Heather Coil, senior manager with the Data Center Coalition, said many data centers use less water than people might expect, with 83% using the same or less water on average than an office building. However, Annalisa Rocca of the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund said large data centers can require up to 5 million gallons of water per day, comparable to the needs of a city of 50,000 residents. City leaders aim to develop strategies to address the challenges posed by the rapid growth of data centers in the region, ensuring that the benefits of this growth are shared by all residents and do not increase their cost of living.