Aurora bans evaporative cooling in new buildings, requires sprinklers off by October through April
Aurora City Council has banned evaporative cooling systems in new large buildings, including data centers, and enacted a seasonal irrigation ban in an effort to reduce water usage during a historic drought. This new ordinance makes official existing efforts to discourage large water users and comes amidst ongoing resident opposition to new data center projects in the area. Vantage Data Centers, proposing the Trident Project, stated plans to use a closed-loop cooling system to comply with water efficiency goals.
The Aurora City Council voted to ban evaporative cooling systems in new large commercial, multi-family, and industrial buildings, effective immediately, as part of a broader effort to conserve water during a historic drought. The council also implemented a seasonal irrigation ban, requiring sprinklers to be off from October through April for most residents and by mid-October for public spaces.
Shonnie Cline, a spokesperson for Aurora Water, explained that while evaporative cooling is energy-efficient, it consumes significant amounts of water. The ordinance aims to ensure water efficiency among large users, with data centers specifically highlighted as industries that commonly use such systems. Cline noted that the city already had thresholds to discourage high water use but the new ordinance makes the prohibition official.
The new regulations are particularly relevant given ongoing resident opposition to data center developments in Aurora. Residents like Violet Brooks and Garry Zimmerman from The Reserve, a senior living community, voiced concerns about the environmental impact, particularly regarding water and energy use, of projects like the proposed 860,000-square-foot Trident Project near East 48th Avenue and E-470.
Vantage Data Centers, the developer behind the Trident facility, stated it intends to use a closed-loop cooling system that circulates water without evaporation, thereby significantly reducing water consumption. While closed-loop systems are more water-efficient, Cline acknowledged they might involve a slight increase in power usage.