Pa. officials brief residents on data center water demand in Susquehanna River Basin
Pennsylvania officials, including the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) and state Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver, briefed residents on the increasing water demand from data centers. The information session highlighted the significant impact of data center construction and cooling methods on local water resources, with hyperscale facilities potentially evaporating millions of gallons daily. The SRBC works to balance development needs with water protection by regulating withdrawals and promoting water-saving cooling technologies.
The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) and state Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver hosted a virtual information session for residents of Pennsylvania's 27th Senatorial District to discuss the growing water demand associated with data center expansion. The event, held Wednesday night, aimed to inform the public about a topic gaining attention across Pennsylvania and the nation.
SRBC Executive Director Andrew Dehoff emphasized the critical impact of data center development on water resources. He noted that construction can disturb natural features like creeks and wetlands, increase impermeable surfaces, and reduce rainwater absorption. Beyond construction, data centers generate substantial heat, traditionally relying on water-based cooling methods that result in significant consumptive use, as evaporated water is not returned to the basin.
Dehoff highlighted that a single hyperscale data center campus could evaporate millions of gallons of water daily, posing a substantial strain on local water supplies. He explained that the SRBC strives to balance the industry's needs with water resource protection through regulating withdrawals, monitoring consumptive use, and encouraging developers to adopt dry, hybrid, or other water-saving cooling technologies. Decisions regarding proposed data centers, Dehoff added, heavily depend on their location and chosen cooling methods, with SRBC resolutions focused on ensuring water conservation is integral to data center design.