Columbus City Council to update residents on proposed data center legislation Wednesday
Columbus City Council is holding events to update residents on a proposed policy package to address data center expansion in central Ohio. The legislation includes an ordinance to establish new rates for high-volume water users, such as data centers, ensuring they cover infrastructure costs. This aims to shift the burden from residential ratepayers and address environmental impacts.
Columbus, Ohio – Columbus City Council leaders, including President Shannon Hardin and Councilmember Christopher Wyche, are set to present a proposed policy package designed to address the rapid expansion of data centers in central Ohio. The legislative effort specifically targets concerns regarding high-volume water consumption and environmental impacts associated with these facilities.
Two public events are scheduled for Wednesday: a 5 p.m. news conference at City Hall and a 5:30 p.m. Public Utilities and Sustainability Committee hearing. The news conference will focus on a proposed ordinance that received its first reading at Monday's City Council meeting. This ordinance would mandate Columbus water and power utilities to develop a new rate structure for large-scale, high-volume water users, including data centers.
The proposed policy aims to ensure that the costs of water infrastructure build-out, necessitated by major developments, are borne by the high-volume users rather than residential and small business customers. The package is also expected to promote efficiency for such users and address electronic disposal and broader environmental considerations. The initiative has generated debate, with industry representatives like Christopher Magil of Vista Site Selections highlighting job creation, while some community members advocate for outright bans on data centers.