Data centers' water usage in Mountain West examined
This guest opinion article argues that concerns over data center water consumption in the Mountain West are often exaggerated, comparing their usage to agriculture. It highlights Meta's data center in Kuna, Idaho, which acquired water rights from farmland and signed over a significant portion to the city. The author suggests data centers offer economic benefits and their water use often replaces prior agricultural consumption.
An opinion piece in the Daily Inter Lake addresses growing opposition to data center construction across the Mountain West, arguing that concerns regarding water consumption are often based on hyperbolic language and lack proper context. The author, Luke Hill from the Mountain States Policy Center, contends that while data centers are water-intensive, their impact is significantly less than often portrayed, especially when compared to agricultural water use.
The article highlights specific legislative efforts, such as Idaho's HB 895 and Washington's HB 2515, which claim data centers require substantial amounts of water. Hill counters these claims by detailing Meta's data center project in Kuna, Idaho, where the company acquired water rights from farmland and subsequently transferred 2.5 million gallons per day to the city of Kuna for a new water treatment plant it plans to donate. The estimated peak water use of 2 million gallons per day for the Meta facility is presented as a negligible fraction (0.01%) of Idaho's total daily water withdrawals, with crop irrigation accounting for the vast majority.
Hill argues that data centers typically acquire water rights from existing agricultural land, thereby replacing one form of water consumption with another rather than introducing new strain on regional water supplies. This trend is also observed in other data center hubs like Quincy, Washington. While acknowledging indirect water use for electricity generation and chip manufacturing, national estimates cited suggest data centers account for a fraction of annual water consumption compared to golf courses or farms.
The piece concludes by advocating for a balanced approach to data center development, emphasizing local context, consumption levels, and water availability. Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon's executive order, which promotes both advancement and conservation, is cited as a positive policy example for the region.