How much water do data centers use in North Carolina? Drought raises new concerns

As Raleigh prepares to activate Stage 1 water-use restrictions due to a persistent drought across North Carolina, attention has turned to the significant water consumption of large data centers. Ed Buchan, Assistant Director of Raleigh Water, stated that a single large data center can use up to 2.7 million gallons of water daily, with a substantial portion lost to evaporation rather than returning to the river basin. This unique usage pattern, combined with rapid growth and tightening supply due to drought, is forcing utilities to re-evaluate long-term water planning and allocation. In response to these concerns, Chatham County commissioners, including Commissioner Karen Howard, approved a one-year moratorium on new data centers, citing water use as a primary driver. Heather Somers, director of the North Carolina Rural Water Association, expressed concern that the pace of data center development is outstripping the ability of rural systems to study and understand their full impact. Meanwhile, Michael Natelli, a developer behind a proposed data center near Apex which is currently paused due to community pushback, defended early water projections as conservative estimates that often decrease with final design and partnerships. He emphasized that projects should be located where infrastructure can support them. While utilities maintain that North Carolina's water systems are stable in the near term, officials stress that long-term planning is critical as population growth, industrial demand, and climate pressures converge. Across the country, 36 states are considering legislation for data center transparency and oversight, but North Carolina currently lacks statewide proposals for disclosure or limits on water use during droughts, leaving decisions largely to local governments and negotiated agreements.