Data center announcements in West Virginia spark concerns over water usage, transparency

Data center announcements in West Virginia are generating widespread community concerns, primarily focused on water consumption and a lack of transparency. Environmental advocates are urging developers to involve local communities in the planning process, highlighting that ten data center facilities have already been proposed across the state.

Nathaniel Hitt, Senior Scientist at the West Virginia Rivers Coalition, emphasized that the question is not if these facilities can impact local water resources, but how those impacts are managed and if local communities, who best understand their own resources, will be included. He noted a pattern where companies extract resources and then leave when markets change. The controversy intensified after the legislature passed House Bill 2014, which offers incentives for data centers, including allowing them to produce their own power using microgrids. Crucially, this bill removes local and county zoning jurisdiction over data center campuses, raising concerns about noise pollution and water usage.

Hitt explained that some large hyperscale data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons of water daily, with impacts varying and often uncertain. He stressed the need for basic transparency from data center developers and state government to protect communities and build safe water systems, as local communities are currently excluded from decision-making. The West Virginia Department of Commerce collects information on water demand and sources for site certification, but this data is not made public.

Reverend Caitlin Ware, an outspoken advocate for addressing West Virginia's generational water crisis, pointed out that new data center developments are being announced statewide, often in rural areas where some utilities struggle to provide safe drinking water to residents. She highlighted the disparity where companies might treat water for their cooling towers but not make it accessible to local communities. Advocates plan to voice their concerns during the 2027 legislative session to demand changes and protect water resources.