Engineering a Balance: Data Center Development & Water Resource Sustainability

By Stacey Hanrahan, SRBC Communications Specialist

With the rapid growth of data center development in Pennsylvania, conversations about energy demand, land use, and community infrastructure are becoming increasingly prominent. At the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), our focus is on an equally critical, though often underemphasized, aspect of development - the impact on regional water resources including regulation of water withdrawals, consumptive use, and diversion into and out of the basin.

Water Supply and Cooling Design Challenges

For civil engineers involved in site planning and utility design, the emerging “hyperscale” or “AI” data centers represent a new magnitude of water and energy demand. These facilities generate significant heat loads, traditionally managed through evaporative cooling systems that rely on large volumes of freshwater.

To put this in perspective, experience from other regions and early Pennsylvania proposals indicate that a single hyperscale complex can require millions of gallons of water per day. This scale of consumption places new pressures on municipal water infrastructure, wellfields, and community supply systems, an important consideration for engineers evaluating system capacity and permitting requirements.

Additionally, significant seasonal water demand fluctuations by data centers can place unique stresses on water supply systems, including increased stagnation times. 

Compounding the challenge, new power generation facilities are being proposed to meet soaring electrical demands. They will also require cooling, often using the same evaporative processes. This creates a compounding load on regional water resources, underscoring the need for integrated planning between energy, water, and infrastructure sectors.

Stormwater, Recharge, and the Hydrologic Balance

Civil engineers play a central role in managing the land development impacts of data center construction. Large impervious footprints alter natural infiltration and aquifer recharge, directly influencing groundwater availability and stream baseflows. Traditional stormwater systems—while effective for flood control—can inadvertently reduce groundwater recharge capacity, a crucial element of the hydrologic cycle supporting both surface and groundwater supplies.

SRBC’s ongoing research highlights the importance of preserving recharge zones and incorporating low-impact development strategies where feasible. Engineers can mitigate recharge loss through green infrastructure, infiltration basins, and permeable pavements, which help sustain aquifer replenishment and maintain natural hydrologic function.

Engineering Solutions and Planning Tools

From a design perspective, engineers can lead the way in reducing cooling water dependency by advocating for alternative technologies such as dry and hybrid cooling systems. These innovations can significantly lower water consumption without compromising system reliability and can increase siting flexibility. SRBC offers permitting incentives to encourage operators and design teams to integrate such water-efficient systems or for the use of lower quality water sources.

As communities consider how and where to site data centers, there are options and opportunities. We encourage “win-win” solutions like the redevelopment of existing sites or the use of wastewater or mine-drainage impacted waters. But those decisions must be considered early in the development process. 

Additionally, SRBC’s 2023 initiative to map optimal groundwater recharge areas offers a valuable tool for engineers and planners. This dataset helps identify locations where infiltration potential is highest, enabling data-driven decisions about site selection, zoning, and mitigation planning. Although developed for the Susquehanna River Basin, the methodology is adaptable for use across the Commonwealth.

Collaborative Infrastructure Stewardship

As regulators, planners, and engineers, we share a common goal: maintaining sustainable, conflict-free water supplies for both current and future generations. Along with our partner agencies, we’re ready to assist civil engineers and municipalities in integrating water resource considerations into early design phases. 

Before you move forward with an energy-intensive data center project, ensure that water supply, recharge, and stormwater impacts are central to the planning discussion. If you have a proposed data center project, please reach out to Commission staff to schedule a pre-application meeting. Working together, we can encourage the technology of the future while preserving one of our basin’s most precious natural resources.