Guest commentary: Data centers aren’t draining the Mountain West
This guest commentary argues that concerns over data center water consumption in the Mountain West are often exaggerated and misunderstand the context, especially compared to agricultural use. It highlights Meta's data center in Kuna, Idaho, as an example where water rights were acquired from farmland and a portion given to the city. The article suggests that policy should be based on local context and actual consumption levels rather than hyperbolic language.
A guest commentary in the Idaho Press contends that public perception and legislative language regarding data center water consumption in the Mountain West are often misleading and overly alarmist. The author, Luke Hill of the Mountain States Policy Center, argues that local opposition to data center construction, fueled by headlines like "AI Chugs a Bottle of Water Every Time You Chat With It," overlooks critical context, despite legislative bills in Idaho (HB 895) and Washington (HB 2515) claiming significant water requirements for data centers.
The article uses Meta's data center in Kuna, Idaho, as a prime example. Meta acquired water rights for approximately 3.7 million gallons per day from the agricultural land it purchased for the facility, subsequently signing over 2.5 million gallons daily to the City of Kuna for a planned water treatment plant the company will donate. Hill calculates that even at its peak estimated usage of two million gallons per day, the Meta data center would represent only about 0.01% of Idaho's total daily water withdrawals, dwarfed by the 15 billion gallons used for crop irrigation in 2015.
Furthermore, Hill asserts that data centers often replace agricultural water use on acquired land, thus not imposing new strain on regional water supplies. While acknowledging that indirect water use for electricity generation must be considered, national estimates suggest that total data center water consumption, including manufacturing and power, is significantly less than that of US golf courses or farms. The commentary advocates for policy approaches that balance advancement and conservation, citing Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon's recent executive order as a positive step, urging decision-making based on local context and actual consumption data rather than inflated claims.
Luke Hill is an intern for Mountain States Policy Center, an independent research organization based in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Washington.