by Melissa DeSimone, MLSA Executive Director
If you are following local news, you will see some protests going on about proposed data centers in communities across Michigan. These protestors are concerned about water usage in their communities. It’s easy to say – Michigan has lots of water, right? The truth is that there is merit to concerns about data center placements, even in the water wonderland. Data centers can pose significant risks to Michigan’s freshwater resources—not because of pollution, but because of the amount of water they consume and where they consume it.
Here’s what you need to know:
Most large data centers use evaporative cooling systems, which require vast amounts of water to keep servers from overheating. A typical hyperscale data center can use 3–5 million gallons of water per day—similar to a small city. Even though Michigan sits next to the Great Lakes, many inland communities rely on groundwater, which can be easily depleted.
Data centers often draw water from municipal drinking water systems, local groundwater wells, and nearby rivers or streams. Heavy use can lower water tables, reduce flow in nearby streams, and put pressure on already aging municipal systems. This is especially concerning in parts of Michigan that are agricultural because they compete with crop irrigation.
Tech companies frequently use nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) with municipalities and vague environmental reports, which creates a lack of transparency and makes it hard for residents to know how much water is being withdrawn and whether the use is sustainable.
If a data center uses once-through cooling (drawing water from rivers, returning it warmer), it can raise stream temperatures, which harms fish populations and encourages algae growth. Even small temperature shifts can disrupt cold-water trout streams common in Michigan.
Cooling systems use biocides, corrosion inhibitors, and anti-scaling chemicals. Improper treatment of wastewater can introduce these contaminants into wastewater plants or surface waters, creating ecological risks.
Michigan’s legal system is built around the public trust doctrine and protecting the Great Lakes Basin. Huge industrial withdrawals, especially when consumption exceeds recharge, can trigger conflicts with both state law and the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Water Resources Compact.
While data centers don’t export water out of the Great Lakes Basin, evaporative cooling does remove water from the hydrological system, effectively “consuming” it. The question is, will there be enough left for lakes, streams, wetlands, or our wells?
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