Concerns raised over potential impacts of data centers

Communities all around the state of Ohio are concerned about the effects of data centers. These effects include: noise, lights, water usage, acres of land transformed into industrial centers, air pollution from power generation, high voltage transmission lines cutting through communities and farmlands and probable increases in their utility bills due to the increases in power consumption.

A single data center can consume up to 5 million gallons of water per day for cooling purposes adding up to billions of gallons of water a year. Ohio experienced severe droughts in both 2024 and 2025, which resulted in low stream levels. The addition of toxic effluent from data centers to streams with low volumes increases the concentration of the pollutant levels.

Managing the increased wastewater discharge from data centers requires significant resources, including advanced treatment technologies, skilled personnel, and financial investment. Effluent from data centers can include: biocides, corrosion inhibitors, heavy metals, dissolved solids, flame retardants and can also cause environmental damage from thermal pollution.

Ohio is considering allowing a general permit for data centers in relation to their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits. General permits often require only a simple Notice of Intent after the permit is issued, not a full application. In some cases, these permits are approved almost immediately. General permits also assume minimal environmental impact. This permit also does not require prior testing of a water source pre data center to determine water quality.

Additionally, these data centers also use large quantities of PFAS-gas or f-gas chemicals for cooling and manufacturing semiconductors. These have been linked to cancer, birth defects, decreased immunity, high cholesterol, kidney disease and a range of other serious health problems.

Finally, a majority of the data centers proposed will use some form of fossil fuels to generate the needed electricity. What this means for southeast Ohio is more fracking. More destruction of our communities with water withdraws, toxic brine, sand trucks and oil and gas infrastructure across the southeast counties.

The question remains: what benefits will these data centers provide our local communities? Are they worth the risks?

Dr. Randi Pokladnik

Tappan Lake