How much water do data centers really use? Here's what we learned from public records.
Data centers in central Ohio, particularly Google's facilities in New Albany and Columbus, are significant water consumers, using billions of gallons annually for cooling. Despite this, they account for a relatively small percentage of the Columbus water department's total supply, which has ample capacity. Legislators in Ohio are considering mandatory reporting requirements for data center water usage to increase transparency and inform conservation efforts.
Data centers, including major facilities operated by Google in New Albany and Columbus, Ohio, are among the top water users in the region, consuming billions of gallons annually for cooling their computing equipment. Public records obtained from Columbus Water & Power reveal Google's New Albany data center used over 1 billion gallons last year, surpassing the consumption of the nearby suburb of Bexley. The Google data center in Columbus used approximately 448 million gallons in the same period.
Despite these high individual consumption figures, John Newsome, the city's water administrator, noted that data centers constitute about 3% of the overall consumption in the Columbus water department's service area. The department supplied 156 million gallons daily last year, well below its 245 million gallons daily capacity, leading Newsome to express confidence in the region's water supply for generations to come, provided efficient industrial growth continues.
The article highlights a broader issue of transparency, as data center operators often cite trade secrets to avoid disclosing water usage details. Ohio is among several states considering mandatory reporting requirements for the industry. Helena Volzer, director of water resources at the Alliance for the Great Lakes, emphasized the difficulty of crafting conservation standards without precise water consumption data.
In response to growing industrial demand, the Columbus water department is exploring innovative solutions, such as using recycled wastewater for cooling in industrial areas south of the city, which would involve businesses funding new infrastructure in exchange for lower rates. This project is expected to solicit proposals next year, aiming to sustainably manage water resources in central Ohio's data center hot spot.