Water

Data Centres Can Use A Lot of Water

Data centres run 24/7 and require constant cooling. Water cooled systems can consume significant water through evaporation and system blowdown.

A Gas Plant Would Add More Demand

A co located natural gas plant would add another major water demand. (Also see NOISE section)

We Have Seen Problems Elsewhere

In Georgia, residents near Meta’s data centre reported low pressure, sediment and wells running dry. Meta disputes that its facility caused the groundwater problems. [1] In Cheyenne, wastewater from Meta’s data centre development was linked by city officials to bacterial contamination of reclaimed water. [2]

We Are Concerned About Groundwater

What could increased industrial water demand mean for local aquifers, private wells, farms and livestock?

Our Water Is Already Under Pressure

The Government of Alberta says there has “never been more pressure on Alberta’s limited water supplies.” [3]

In the Oldman sub basin, 83.5% of allocated water was for irrigation in 2023. [4]

We live in an area already vulnerable to drought and water shortages. Before approval, we need to know how much water, from where, and what happens when water is scarce.

"Closed Loop" Does Not Mean Water Free

The industry has clouded the issue of water usage by discussing a new technology referred to as “Closed Loop” systems. Closed loop systems still require water for filling, topping up, flushing and refilling. Closed loop systems does not mean water free or even minimal water, it just cools differently, it moves the heat to another piece of equipment which in turn uses the water to cool, a little like smoke and mirrors.

A “Closed Loop” system have also caused significant contamination, as was the case in Cheyenne, Wyoming

What Captus Says: (from their website)

"Our current planning is based on a few important principles:

• No freshwater would be used. Non-potable water from a deep saline aquifer would be used. (This is still competing with local farmers who use this water for crops and livestock.)

• This water is not suited for drinking, livestock or irrigation. Deep saline aquifers sit well below the shallow groundwater zones that supply domestic wells, agricultural wells and municipal supplies. The water is too salty to be used without treatment. (We have seen nothing that suggests this is true or any credible mapping of the aquifer.)

• No impact on reservoirs. Water would not be drawn from the Waterton Reservoir, the Oldman Reservoir, or any other reservoirs or lakes in the region. (Until it is. A similar claim was made by Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing, who said the would not use Colorado River water and later sued to get access.)

• Cooling is planned around a closed-loop system. Water would be treated and circulated through a cooling system rather than relying on the continuous supply of freshwater associated with some other types of cooling systems. This means total water use will be far less than reported amounts from other data centres. (Closed loop systems do not magically make heat disappear, the transfer it to another part of the system which uses water to cool it. SMOKE and MIRRORS.)

What is still to be determined

Captus does not yet have a final commercial agreement with a digital infrastructure partner, there are questions we cannot answer yet, including:

• Total water requirements (so in truth they admit they have no idea of how much water they will need.)

• Specific cooling system design (so again they have no idea as to the water requirements of any data centre partner.)

• Timing and phasing of any water use (basically we are being told they know very little about their water requirements.)

Watch until the end