Palo City Council advances data center ordinance after debate on Google's water usage

Name: Palo City Council advances data center ordinance after debate on Google's water usage
Uploaded: 2026-06-04T00:00:01.000Z
Duration: 52 s
Description: At a Palo City Council meeting, a data center expert accused Google of using a high-water-consumption cooling system despite more efficient alternatives. The council proceeded to advance its data center ordinance, overriding local residents' appeals to delay or halt the project due to concerns over the data center's impact.

News Clip0:52Iowa Starting Line·Palo, Linn County, IA·6/4/2026

At a Palo City Council meeting, a data center expert accused Google of using a high-water-consumption cooling system despite more efficient alternatives. The council proceeded to advance its data center ordinance, overriding local residents' appeals to delay or halt the project due to concerns over the data center's impact.

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Google

Gov: Palo City Council

At a packed Palo City Council meeting, data center expert  Dough Sevey accused Google of choosing a cheaper cooling system that uses more water, despite alternatives that could significantly reduce consumption.

The council advanced its data center ordinance despite residents advocating for slowing or stopping the project.