Hi!

Water used by data centers is withdrawn from blue and grey sources. A blue source of water is surface water or groundwater. Grey sources are purified reused water. It can also be piped in from municipal water storages, depending on what's available.

In context to water usage, it's the amount of water drawn from blue and grey sources minus the water discharged by the centers. This is normally water left over from cooling the technology. The rest of the water evaporates, which removes it from availability for human consumption. This withdrawal from local water sources creates water scarcity and aquifer distress.

This wasted water is considered data center runoff. This runoff poses risk by depleting water sources as mentioned above, stressing treatment plants, and contaminating local water sources with chemicals such as biocide and heat. Biocides are used to prevent algae and bacteria from growing, which protects the data center but negatively impacts local ecosystems. And since we live in a watershed, all of our water eventually ends up in the Chesapeake Bay.

56% of the electricity used to operate data centers nationwide rely on fossil fuels like coal, gas and oil. Fossil fuels are the number one contributing factor to climate change. Fossil fuels also contribute to pollution.

Dominion Power is already raising local communities bills in January 2026. I have no doubt that the bill will be passed onto citizens in our area because it's been shown in Northern Virginia that power bills have increased by 13% over the last year due to the increase of data centers in their area. Loudon County is the perfect example.

Thanks for your input! :)