OPINION — Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is considering a one-year moratorium on data centers due to water consumption and land use. This proposal is part of a wider debate as communities cope with the increasing resource demands of the data-center boom.
What if data centers used no water at all? A hyperscale facility in Phoenix is estimated to save 138 million gallons annually, using an advanced thermal cooling system.
Instead of pushing for restrictions, lawmakers should foster innovations that reduce water use. Water scarcity should shape how we build data centers, not if they should exist.
