Data centers are guzzling California’s water. We have no idea how much
A new report highlights that data centers in California do not publicly disclose their water usage, making it difficult to assess their environmental impact, especially in water-stressed regions. Despite a governor's veto last year, state lawmakers are again pushing bills to mandate water use disclosures and restrict development in overdrafted groundwater basins, facing industry opposition. Local communities, like Monterey Park, are already successfully opposing projects due to these concerns.
A new report from think tank Next10 and Santa Clara University researchers reveals that data centers in California are not publicly disclosing their water usage, making it challenging for communities and researchers to assess the environmental impacts, particularly in water-stressed areas like the Central and Imperial Valleys. The study notes that existing state, federal, and local policies allow operators to avoid public disclosure of actual water use, with few environmental impact reports available online.
Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) is reintroducing two bills to address this transparency gap after a similar measure was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom last year due to industry pressure. The proposed legislation would mandate data centers to disclose water use to suppliers, cities, and counties, and prohibit development in overdrafted groundwater basins unless approved by state water managers. The bills have cleared a key legislative hurdle but face strong opposition from the tech industry and business groups.
The report's findings are supported by experts like Shaolei Ren of UC Riverside, who emphasizes the need for data to facilitate meaningful public discussions. The Data Center Coalition, represented by Khara Boender, opposes granular reporting, claiming the industry uses less water than others, but provides no data to support this. Meanwhile, communities like Monterey Park in the San Gabriel Valley have successfully opposed a data center project over environmental concerns and are pursuing a citywide ban, illustrating local pushback against undisclosed water consumption.