Concerning report finds Central Ohio water demand is skyrocketing due to rise of data centers

Millions—yes, millions—of gallons of water a day are used to cool the equipment of the 100+ data centers here in Central Ohio. And while data center business is booming, the demand for water is too, according to The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) report on Central Ohio Regional Water Usage.

The EPA’s released study shows that by 2040, 70 million gallons a day will be needed for the data centers.

Meanwhile, Ohio farms are predicted to need 110 million gallons of water a day due to ongoing drought conditions.

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The data centers’ water use has been heavily scrutinized this year, even by our own government. In August, The House of Representatives released an article that discusses the vast amount of energy consumption and strain on water infrastructure they’re causing. 

“Ohio has the fourth highest number of data centers in the nation, and some of our largest-scale developments can gobble up as much water in a year as tens of thousands of people,” Carol Kaufman, CEO of Ohio Environmental Council, said in the article.  “The Central Ohio region is sinking due to groundwater subsidence, a problem that will become much more serious in the next decade if demands continue unchecked.”

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