[Normal]

Can Sumter County afford the water usage of a new data center being proposed? The Mable at Center Hill PUD Is being proposed at a county Planning and Zoning Special Master meeting. The Special Master will review the project and issue a formal recommendation. Hopefully we won’t lose more water. Our water supply is already being threatened by drought and a proposed liquid trash injection well near the southern villages.

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by Normal

Can Sumter County afford the water usage of a new data center being proposed? The Mable at Center Hill PUD Is being proposed at a county Planning and Zoning Special Master meeting. The Special Master will review the project and issue a formal recommendation. Hopefully we won’t lose more water. Our water supply is already being threatened by drought and a proposed liquid trash injection well near the southern villages.

From what I know of data centers (very little) they seem to take a lot, not just in water but in electrical energy as well.

I understand that the powers-that-be are actively exploring orbital data centers. Good idea: abundant solar energy and no water needed for cooling. From what I've read though the reality is "a decade or more away".

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

From what I know of data centers (very little) they seem to take a lot, not just in water but in electrical energy as well.

I understand that the powers-that-be are actively exploring orbital data centers. Good idea: abundant solar energy and no water needed for cooling. From what I've read though the reality is "a decade or more away".

From what I read the water is fully self contained in new builds and they are also generating their own electricity and will give back the power that they don't use to the community. Lots to read, none to believe evidently.

[Stu from NYC]

By any chance can irrigation water be used?

[retired guy]

How about the local or state authority, mandate that any data center must use a closed loop water system & make their own power. Not pulling from the current water or power system? Common sense?

[village dreamer]

Originally Posted by Normal

Can Sumter County afford the water usage of a new data center being proposed? The Mable at Center Hill PUD Is being proposed at a county Planning and Zoning Special Master meeting. The Special Master will review the project and issue a formal recommendation. Hopefully we won’t lose more water. Our water supply is already being threatened by drought and a proposed liquid trash injection well near the southern villages.

wow liquid trash in the water, that's what i call recycling at its finest....glad i don't live down south of 44. and how about that data center eating up electricity by the Maga volt and driving up your ele. bill to pay for the up grades.

[thelegges]

Sadly data centers will continue, because powers that be have invested interest. Doesn't matter who suffers the aftermath, as long as the investors make money.

[Gpsma]

Build them….we need them.

[village dreamer]

Originally Posted by Gpsma

Build them….we need them.

put them in the desert in los vegas

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by Gpsma

Build them….we need them.

We definitely need them and those that are knowledgeable will tell you that future centers will have closed water systems and will produce their own electricity or will pay to upgrade local electric production at not cost and most likely a lower cost for residents in the area. I would rather have a data center than a sewage disposal plant or garbage land fill as a neighbor.

[spinner1001]

Originally Posted by thelegges

Sadly data centers will continue, because powers that be have invested interest. Doesn't matter who suffers the aftermath, as long as the investors make money.

You're right, it would be tragic if all that computing power were wasted on something silly like finding new cancer treatments.

[Sparky99]

Local tax revenue. Facilities generate substantial property and sales tax revenue to fund public schools, roads, and emergency services without heavily straining municipal infrastructure.

[jrref]

The other thing that makes me chuckle, data centers have been around for decades. All of a sudden everyone is going crazy about them. I think the problem is there needs to be a little oversight by the local governments so when they are constructed, they don't negatively impact the local communities. Other than that, you can't stop progress and they bring lots of much needed clean jobs.

[Snakster66]

Originally Posted by spinner1001

You're right, it would be tragic if all that computing power were wasted on something silly like finding new cancer treatments.

I can assure you that the pharmaceutical industry is leaning heavily on AI in drug development. So yes, that computing power is being used to find new cancer (and other diseases) treatments.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by jrref

The other thing that makes me chuckle, data centers have been around for decades. All of a sudden everyone is going crazy about them. I think the problem is there needs to be a little oversight by the local governments so when they are constructed, they don't negatively impact the local communities. Other than that, you can't stop progress and they bring lots of much needed clean jobs.

The problem is not so much the "data center" label, it's the massive building which uses enormous amounts of water and electricity and makes a noise 24/7 that can be heard up to a mile away.

Local government is frequently overcome by the promise of tax revenue and doesn't properly perform even a little oversight to protect local communities.

In the future..... a lot of things might happen.
Today.... large-scale data centers consume land, water, and power and generate noise.