FOIA records raise new questions about water use at proposed data center

The WSET ABC 13 report details new questions surrounding a proposed data center in Botetourt County, Virginia, specifically regarding its substantial water usage during a period of drought. The Southwest Virginia Data Center Transparency Alliance, a local group, filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request after their inquiries about the project's water demands went unanswered during public meetings.

The documents obtained through the FOIA request included emails between Google and the Western Virginia Water Authority, discussing potential water use of 10 to 11 million gallons per day for the data center. This figure stands in stark contrast to the 2 million gallons per day maximum that the public had reportedly been informed the project would consume. Katherine Hadam, representing the Transparency Alliance, expressed concern over the lack of transparency, questioning the reasons for withholding information if the project was genuinely beneficial.

Western Virginia Water Authority Executive Director Mike McAvoy clarified that the higher figures in the emails represented early requests from Google. He stated that most of those initial requests were denied, and the final agreement, signed on September 10, 2025, commits to a maximum of 2 million gallons per day. McAvoy also indicated that water would be routed to the data center through pipes along Route 11 and U.S. 220, avoiding a direct line into Carvins Cove.

Despite these clarifications, Botetourt County residents are continuing to demand greater transparency. Protests are scheduled for the upcoming weekend, calling for a pause on all new data center approvals until their concerns are adequately addressed.