FOIA records raise new questions about water use at proposed Botetourt County data center
FOIA records have revealed a significant discrepancy in water usage figures for a proposed data center in Botetourt County, Virginia, with internal communications showing much higher demands than publicly stated. This has led to renewed concerns about transparency and water access amidst an ongoing drought, prompting community members to organize protests.
Residents of Botetourt County, Virginia, are raising new questions about the water usage of a proposed data center, identified as a Google project, following the release of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents. Kathryn Hatam, a member of the Southwest Virginia Data Center Transparency Alliance, stated that information from the FOIA request contradicts earlier public statements from county leaders regarding the facility's expected water consumption.
The FOIA documents include emails between Google and the Western Virginia Water Authority discussing water demands of 10 million to 11 million gallons per day. This is significantly higher than the 2 million gallons per day that residents were previously told was the maximum expected use. Western Virginia Water Authority Executive Director Mike McEvoy clarified that the higher figures were from early discussions and that a finalized agreement, dated September 10, 2025, commits to a maximum of 2 million gallons per day, with most of the larger requests having been rejected.
Despite the explanation, community members remain concerned about transparency and the potential impact on local water resources, especially as Virginia experiences drought conditions. Residents have organized protests for the upcoming weekend, urging local leaders to pause approvals for new data centers until more robust environmental safeguards are implemented.