Aurora bans evaporative cooling at future data centers, stalls on regulating residential set-backs
Aurora City Council has banned evaporative cooling for future data centers due to concerns about the city's water supply. However, lawmakers remain divided on regulating specific residential setbacks for these projects, postponing a decision.
Aurora lawmakers have taken a significant step in regulating future data centers by unanimously voting 10-0 to prohibit the use of large-scale evaporative cooling. This decision addresses concerns over the potentially millions of gallons of water these facilities could consume, safeguarding the city's water supply. The ban follows an August 10 resolution directing the city manager to establish new data center regulations, which included a mandate for setbacks and landscape buffers alongside the cooling prohibition.
Despite this consensus on water usage, the city council remains divided on implementing specific residential setbacks for data center projects. Lawmakers have expressed difficulty agreeing on the potential threats these controversial centers could pose to neighboring communities, causing a stall in this particular aspect of the new regulatory framework.