Data Centers & Water Use
As an agency responsible for balancing economic development with the conservation of aquatic ecosystems, we have a strong interest in any industry that has potentially high water demands. When hyperscale data center development in the Susquehanna River Basin began hitting the headlines, we were concerned that water was mostly left out of the conversation. So we went on a mission to educate developers, legislators, community planners and the public on the potential impacts this emerging and fast-changing industry may have on our water resources. It's safe to say water is now being talked about regularly, and most importantly, in many planning discussions.
Any proposed data center looking to withdraw or consumptively use water over our regulatory thresholds will need Commission approval before operating. They'll need to undergo rigorous, scientific reviews by highly trained/licensed hydrogeologists, geologists and engineers to determine whether or not a water use will negatively impact the environment and/or other users.
We are also working with the industry to promote water-saving technology where possible. Depending on the cooling technology used, which is evolving rapidly, demands can range from very low (under our thresholds) to high (millions) gallons per day. Water usage for data center cooling varies widely by company and site.
FAQs
Please read through our frequently asked questions regarding data center water usage and our regulations.
More Speculation than Development
Despite all the news surrounding proposed data centers in Pennsylvania, we have issued only one permit for a hyperscale data center in the Susquehanna River Basin as of early 2026. As part of our robust public outreach efforts, we've answered many questions that have arisen regarding Amazon Web Services' data center complex in Salem Township, PA in the following document:
- Amazon Web Services Data Center FAQ
- All approved projects and pending applications (for any industry) can be viewed on our Water Application & Approval Viewer (WAAV) .
Data Center ABR(e) Approvals
The Commission has noticed an increasing number of data center developers choosing designs that use water provided directly from existing public water supplies rather than pulling new water from rivers and streams or drilling new groundwater wells. This type of set-up does not require a withdrawal approval because the water being used is already regulated through the public water supply system.
However, this approach does require our approval for the consumptive use of water (water used but not returned to the basin) if the volume being used by the data center exceeds our threshold of 20,000 gallons per day over a 30-day average. Consumptive uses of water solely supplied by public water supply, stormwater, wastewater, or other reused or recycled water may receive a Commission approval known as an Approval by Rule, type (e), or “ABR(e)”. An ABR(e) is a type of general permit, and this process has been in place since 2007 for all large water users in the basin.
In the interest of remaining responsive to the growing public interest in data center development, the Commission has made a determination that will affect the public comment process for proposed consumptive water use by data centers using a public water supply. Please read through the following documents:
Articles & Interviews
Commission staff have written multiple articles on the subject and conducted numerous interviews. A small sample can be found here:
- Data Centers: Let's Talk About Water Demands
- What About Water? Townships Must Consider Data Center Impacts on This Vital Natural Resource (PDF)
- Engineering a Balance: Data Center Development & Water Resource Sustainability
- River Basin Commissions and Data Centers: Planning for a Growing Industry with Intensive Water Demands (PDF)
- Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association Podcast talks with SRBC staff
- WITF Interview with SRBC Executive Director Andrew Dehoff on data center water usage
We recently hosted a public webinar on data centers with our partners at the Delaware River Basin Commission and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin. The webinar explores water use by the data center industry, why it matters for our communities and shared resources, and the role of the interstate River Basin Commissions.
Informational Flyers
Managing Water Demand in the Age of Data Centers (PDF)
Data Center Water Demands (PDF)
Data Center Water Use Alternatives (PDF)
More Resources
For information on the Commission's regulations, learn more with our library of fact sheets .