Data centers use a lot of water. What does that mean for NC water quality and availability?

A proposed 900-megawatt data center in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, faces growing scrutiny over its potential impact on local water resources. The facility, planned by Energy Storage Solutions, would draw water from the Tar River via Rocky Mount's municipal supply for its cooling systems, raising alarms among environmental advocates and residents. Katey Zimmerman, the Pamlico-Tar Riverkeeper with the nonprofit Sound Rivers, is actively organizing against the project, citing concerns about freshwater availability and the potential for water pollution, including the discharge of PFAS "forever chemicals" into the Tar River. These concerns are amplified by North Carolina's current moderate to extreme drought conditions and the unpredictable rainfall patterns exacerbated by climate change, which challenge water replenishment. Edgecombe County Manager Eric Evans confirmed that the county has paused its consideration of the data center project, awaiting sufficient evidence of financing from Energy Storage Solutions, which has not yet responded to inquiries. The broader implications of data center water usage are being discussed across North Carolina, with other communities expressing similar concerns. For instance, a cancelled 300-megawatt data center in Apex (Wake County) had planned to use up to 1 million gallons of water daily, with a significant portion lost to evaporation. Local water utility directors, such as Jonathan Jacobs of Apex, are grappling with how to balance the demands of tech development with the need to provide clean drinking water to residents and maintain adequate water flow for downstream communities, often considering treated wastewater for industrial use rather than potable water. Major tech companies like Meta, Google, and Microsoft have made general commitments to water sustainability, but specific project details and their environmental ramifications remain a key point of contention in the state.