Report: Data centers and climate change could stress Indiana's water supply
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Indiana could someday strain its water supply without more planning, warns a new Alliance for the Great Lakes report.
Why it matters: Residents, data centers, farms and manufacturers are all tapping the same supply — and if the supply can't keep up, it could result in higher bills, shortages or restrictions.
- Groundwater extraction is already causing our city to slowly sink, potentially threatening groundwater supplies, infrastructure and public safety without action.
State of play: Hoosiers are already worried about water constraints.
- In northern Indiana, homeowners questioned whether construction activities to make way for data centers and an EV battery plant caused several residential wells to run dry.
- All development in Boone County stalled last year as Lebanon looked for a water solution. The controversial LEAP District — a major driver behind the water problem — is being supported by Citizens Energy with water from the Indianapolis area.
- On Wednesday, Marion County's Metropolitan Development Commission gave preliminary approval to a new Google data center in Franklin Township, which residents have opposed, in part, because of concerns about water quality and energy costs.
The big picture: The Great Lakes report illustrates the water challenge across the Midwest.
- It calls for stronger groundwater protections and more transparency on data center consumption, which is largely considered proprietary.
- Data centers — which typically evaporate water to cool machinery — are big factors, as is residential growth.
- It also notes that climate change will make future management more challenging.
What they're saying: "The region is simply not prepared to manage the competing and overlapping demands that may soon lead to more conflict over water resources, especially groundwater," the report finds.
The latest: Gov. Mike Braun has called for Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Suzanne Jaworowski to conduct an inventory of Indiana's water resources to identify current usage, availability and future demand.
- "Proper water management is essential to growing our economy without compromising on Hoosiers' resource needs in their communities," he said in a statement. "This new thorough inventory and water planning framework will ensure Indiana is ready to support new jobs and growing communities, with full transparency for the public built into the new system."
What's next: The White River Alliance is hosting its annual Water Summit next week, when topics will include the development of that state water plan and data centers.