Amazon Presents Data Center Water Details, Microsoft Postpones
Amazon presented water-use, cooling, wetland mitigation and construction dewatering details for its New Carlisle data center to the St. Joseph County Water Resources Advisory Board. Microsoft postponed its own water-usage presentation, while public access and questions during the meeting were limited; the county drainage board had already approved Amazon’s dewatering permit.
Amazon representatives briefed the St. Joseph County Department of Health Water Resources Advisory Board on water management at the company’s New Carlisle data center. Senior Water Strategy Manager Pubudu Ranasinghe said the facility would use water for cooling about 2% of the year and rely on outside air during the remainder, reducing power use during water-cooled periods. Amazon also described plans to create 10.2 acres of wetland to offset impacts to 4.82 acres and pursue water efficiency, reuse and replenishment projects.
AWS technical engineer Morteza Khorshidi discussed construction dewatering, which will temporarily lower groundwater to install utilities, stormwater ponds and foundations. The St. Joseph County Drainage Board approved a permit allowing removal of up to 1.3 million gallons per hour, with discharges of up to 400,000 gallons per hour into the Niespodziany Ditch. Microsoft postponed its scheduled water update, and the advisory board ultimately suspended public comments after technical problems and confusion over who could ask questions.