Release of data center water numbers a good step for transparency

The Columbus Dispatch investigated water consumption by data centers in central Ohio, finding that 3% of the 41.25 billion gallons of water pumped by the city of Columbus in the past year, equivalent to 1.26 billion gallons, was used by data centers. This water is primarily for cooling massive electronic systems, including those operated by tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Google, as well as facilities in suburbs such as New Albany.

This data was difficult to obtain due to potential nondisclosure agreements, highlighting a broader issue of government transparency in Ohio. The article discusses how House Bill 184, passed in December, had made economic development information, including tax breaks for companies, largely secret. This law notably prevented Reynoldsburg city officials from revealing the identity of a company seeking a tax break and was criticized by Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano.

Ohio lawmakers have since passed House Bill 479 to reverse the transparency restrictions of HB 184, though the new law won't take effect until September. In a move towards greater transparency, a Microsoft representative, Daniel Brown, pledged that the company would no longer use nondisclosure agreements or seek local property tax abatements for its data center developments in Ohio. The editorial board emphasizes that factual information and transparency are crucial for informed public debate, especially as some residents consider pushing for a ban on new data centers due to resource consumption concerns.