Amazon presents on data center water resource usage
Amazon presented its water-use plan for its data center under construction in New Carlisle to the St. Joseph County Water Resources Advisory Board. The facility is expected to use about 18 million gallons of water annually for cooling, with heated water discharged into the wastewater system, while Amazon has committed $114 million for water and wastewater infrastructure.
Amazon representatives presented plans for water use and environmental stewardship at the company’s New Carlisle data center to the St. Joseph County Water Resources Advisory Board. Amazon senior water strategy manager Pubudu Ranasinghe said the facility is expected to use about 18 million gallons of water annually for cooling once construction is complete, representing roughly 0.9% of New Carlisle’s 2024 water production. Amazon also plans to contribute $114 million toward water and wastewater infrastructure.
Board president David Jeffers said he was comfortable with the projected usage of 35 to 40 gallons per minute but questioned the facility’s cooling design. Rather than using a closed-loop system, Amazon plans to discharge heated water into the wastewater system. Jeffers also emphasized the need to confirm the water source and protections for the aquifer supplying New Carlisle’s wells. Microsoft, which was also scheduled to present, was unable to attend and plans to appear at a later meeting.