NEPA data centers could look to ‘purple pipe’ for water to cool servers

Data center developers in Northeast Pennsylvania are actively exploring alternative water sources, such as recycled "purple pipe" water and disused mine water, to meet the substantial cooling demands of their facilities. This initiative was a key discussion point at a recent conference, where representatives like Merle Madrid, senior manager of public policy at Amazon Web Services, detailed Amazon's commitment to water stewardship through investments in municipal infrastructure and reclaimed water. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) plays a crucial role in regulating water withdrawals for these projects. Executive Director Andrew Dehoff emphasized the need for early engagement from developers. The SRBC recently approved Amazon's request to increase water usage for its Salem Twp. data center. Meanwhile, NorthPoint Development is facing hurdles for its proposed 15-building data center campus in Hazle Twp., Luzerne County. After Hazle Twp. supervisors denied land development approval in November, NorthPoint filed a challenge in Luzerne County Court, proposing to cool its facilities with treated sewage from the Greater Hazleton Joint Sewer Authority. Other developers are also looking into mine water, with the Wildcat Ridge Data Center Campus in Archbald, Lackawanna County, pursuing mine pools as an alternative, and NorthPoint considering the Quakake Mine Tunnel for its Banks Twp., Carbon County project. However, experts like Robert Hughes of the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation warn of potential environmental risks, including mine subsidence and adverse effects on aquatic life from altered water chemistry, urging comprehensive studies and monitoring before such withdrawals proceed. The article also touches on the significant electricity demands of data centers, noting they might build their own power plants or necessitate new ones coming online, contributing to the Susquehanna River Basin's high water consumption for power generation.