Which system would supply the site?
Identify the named municipal, regional or private water system and whether the parcel is inside its service area.
Look for: Service-area map, will-serve letter or utility agreementWater records field guide
Data center
water use
Find the public records that can distinguish a project estimate from an operating measurement—and withdrawal from consumption.
Is the number withdrawal or consumption?
Withdrawal enters the site. Consumptive use is not returned to the immediate water system. The terms are not interchangeable.
Look for: Engineering report, water application or environmental reviewWhat happens on the hottest day?
Annual averages can conceal the peak demand that matters for system capacity and drought planning.
Look for: Peak-day demand estimate and drought contingency planWhat cooling design is actually proposed?
Do not infer cooling technology from a company-wide sustainability claim or another campus.
Look for: Site plan, equipment schedule or project-specific applicationVERIFIED STARTING POINTS
Open the record,
not a claim
These sources are selected because they expose a controlling document or official proceeding relevant to this issue. They do not form a complete national inventory.
NYState permit pause
In effect · Announced July 14, 2026
Temporary pause on certain new hyperscale permits
The governor's office says DEC will pause discretionary permits not already deemed complete while the state develops a generic environmental review and regulatory framework.
MDMoratorium proposal
Public-hearing record · Introduced May 12, 2026
Bill 24-26E: proposed two-year building-permit moratorium
The introduced bill would prohibit the county Department of Permitting Services from issuing a building permit for a data center and would sunset two years after taking effect.
PUBLIC-RECORDS CHECKLIST
Ask for the document
that answers the question
- Water and sewer capacity or impact study
- Will-serve letter and utility extension agreement
- Monthly and peak-day demand estimate
- Cooling-system description and design basis
- Withdrawal, discharge or pretreatment permit
- Drought curtailment and emergency-priority terms
PRIMARY AND INSTITUTIONAL SOURCES
Method before
mobilization
COMMON QUESTIONS
How much water does a data center use?
There is no reliable single number. Project size, utilization, cooling technology, climate, electricity source and operating conditions all matter. Use a project-specific public record where one exists.
Does a water permit show actual consumption?
Not necessarily. It may authorize a withdrawal or discharge, set conditions, or describe projected demand. Metered utility records or required reports answer a different question.
Can water use be inferred from electricity demand?
Not reliably for a specific facility. Direct cooling water and indirect water used for electricity generation must be kept separate.
FOLLOW WATER USE
Get the record
for your state.
Select your state and role. The issue is already set to water use, so future evidence updates can stay relevant.