Most data center water usage comes from electric supplying plants

The environmental impact of new data centers is unclear as developers are guarded about water and power usage specifics. Data centers use a massive amount of electricity, which is expected to strain the power grid and could slow decarbonization efforts. While newer data centers use less water for direct cooling, their high electricity needs create significant indirect water use from power generation. Environmental groups have raised concerns about the potential use of PFAS in data center cooling systems. Residents near a new Vantage-owned hyperscale data center in Port Washington have expressed concerns about light, noise pollution, and habitat degradation.