Photo Credit: Paloma Ayala
Tell the Oregon Public Utility Commission: regulate data centers to protect the climate and water.
Oregon Public Utility Commission:
Thank you for undertaking POWER Act implementation in UM 2377. Data center proliferation in the Northwest threatens the Columbia River and our climate by vastly increasing energy and water demand.
Data centers water and energy consumption are directly related. We know that more water is required to cool systems that use less energy, and need more information in order to advocate for the best solutions.
- Each year, a 100MW data center will consume 100 million gallons of water, enough for 2,500 people’s domestic use.
- Data centers produce wastewater laced with contaminants and pollutants not normally targeted for removal by wastewater treatment plants.
- Data centers’ water use—from groundwater to streams and rivers that feed municipal water supply—drains water supply in drought-prone areas and endangers fish and wildlife.
- Data center operators have resisted efforts to make water use and impact data available.
In order to improve our understanding of energy efficiency and water consumption, I urge the Commission to require data centers to report their water usage. With this information, we can begin to develop solutions to improve data center efficiency without harming the surrounding environment.
By taking a holistic approach to data center regulation, we can prevent climate and water impacts and ensure that data centers pay their fair share.
Thank you,