DC DataCentreDebate.ca

The water argument needs sorting

Water: publish the actual balance

Closed-loop data centre cooling, power-plant water, fire protection, domestic use, and wastewater are not the same thing. Treat them separately or the debate turns stupid fast.

First, separate the numbers

Most of the public water argument gets messy because people use “the data centre” to mean too many things at once.

A building with closed-loop liquid cooling and dry coolers is not the same as a wet cooling tower. A gas plant beside or near the data centre is a different piece of infrastructure. Fire protection is not daily cooling water. Domestic water is not server cooling. Maintenance losses are not a river.

Ask for the water balance. Initial fill, makeup water, blowdown, leaks, maintenance discharge, domestic use, fire systems, power plant use, wastewater, and reporting. One table. Public. Updated annually.

Cooling and power are separate

The general water argument and the Meta-specific water argument should not be mashed together. One page explains the cooling choices. One page applies the checklist to the planned Sturgeon County setup.

A

Water use and cooling choices

Compare evaporative cooling, closed-loop dry cooling, and direct-to-chip liquid cooling. Includes the water-loss graph and recommendation table.
B

Meta Sturgeon County planned setup

Apply the same standard to the planned Meta site and separate the data-centre cooling claim from Greenlight/power-plant water.

What I would require

  • Say whether cooling is closed-loop, dry, hybrid, evaporative, or mixed.
  • Publish expected makeup water and losses.
  • Separate data centre cooling from power plant water.
  • Explain fire protection without pretending it is daily water use.
  • Report actual water use after opening.
  • Disclose wastewater, discharge, and maintenance handling.

What I would not accept

  • Use “closed loop” like a magic spell.
  • Let people imagine server rooms are a carwash.
  • Hide power plant water in data-centre cooling language.
  • Assume all cooling designs are equal.
  • Promise “no water” when you mean “no operational cooling water.”
  • Rely on corporate reporting without independent verification.

What should be published

Water itemWhy it mattersPublic answer needed
Data centre coolingSeparates closed-loop/dry cooling from evaporative cooling.Design type, initial fill, expected losses, maintenance discharge.
Power generationA gas plant can be the real water user even if the data hall is not.Cooling type, makeup water, blowdown, source, discharge, maximum and average use.
Fire protectionEmergency systems are not normal consumption but still need design clarity.System type, storage, testing, discharge plan, code compliance.
Domestic / site usePeople, washrooms, kitchens, landscaping, cleaning, and maintenance still exist.Expected average and peak use.
Accidents and leaksClosed-loop systems can still fail.Containment, detection, recovery, spill response.
The fair demand is not “admit the data centre is a water disaster.” The fair demand is: show the whole water balance, separate each system, and report actual use.