Amid drought, Spartanburg Water asks all customers to conserve water as data center goes up on Pine Street
Spartanburg Water has requested all customers conserve water due to a severe statewide drought. This request comes as residents express concern over a new data center on Pine Street projected to use 460,000 gallons of water per day, although the utility states it will not impact residential service.
Spartanburg Water has issued a request for all customers in the Spartanburg area to voluntarily conserve water due to a severe, ongoing statewide drought. Despite a damp forecast, a nine-month rain deficit means current weather will not alleviate the conditions. The utility's request, made "out of an abundance of caution," follows growing public concern about a data center being constructed on S. Pine Street.
This unnamed data center is projected to consume approximately 460,000 gallons of water per day, with about 85 percent of that lost to evaporation, leading to residents expressing frustration. Spartanburg Water, however, maintains that the data center's water usage will only constitute between 1.8 percent and 2.3 percent of the current average daily demand and is not expected to affect residential water service. The utility has also provided specific guidelines for outdoor water use, including restricting watering to certain days and hours, and advising against washing vehicles and outdoor surfaces.