The biggest water challenge from a new data center may arrive before the servers do. According to Loudoun Water, one of the most critical periods occurs during construction and startup, when cooling systems and miles of piping are cleaned and prepared for operation. That process can generate wastewater containing chemicals,…
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how utilities understand and manage aging underground infrastructure. Matthew Rosenthal, co-founder of SewerAI, explains how the company is helping cities, engineers, and contractors inspect sewer and stormwater systems more efficiently by combining field data collection, AI-powered defect detection, and automated reporting tools. Operators use remote…
A city once defined by industrial waterways is betting on a future where people can safely swim in them. Milwaukee has joined the international Swimmable Cities movement, setting a goal of increasing the number of swimmable days in its rivers and Lake Michigan by 80%. It's an ambitious target for…
Innovation rarely starts with technology. It starts with people willing to challenge assumptions. At Catalyst 2025, Greg Wukasch of the San Antonio Water System described the event as a place for "new box thinking" — not simply thinking outside the box, but creating entirely new ways of approaching challenges in…
Who pays when a new data center places major demands on a water system? In Loudoun County, Virginia, utility leaders say the answer is simple: the customer creating the demand. A data center seeking a large potable water connection—such as 1 million gallons per day—must pay substantial connection fees designed…
One of the biggest misconceptions about data centers is that they all use water the same way. In Loudoun County, Virginia's Data Center Alley, utility leaders have learned that water demand varies dramatically from one facility to another. Some data centers use very little water most of the year, then…
The most important conversation about a data center often happens long before construction begins. In Loudoun County, Virginia's Data Center Alley, utility staff start talking with developers as soon as a project enters the planning process. Those early discussions focus on a deceptively simple question: How much water will the…
Millions of people in the United States still lack reliable access to safe drinking water or basic plumbing. Chris Freimont of Water For People says the Vessel Collective has spent the past year developing a roadmap to address those gaps. The plan calls for greater visibility of the problem, stronger…
Taking a dip in the 52-degree water of Lake Michigan will wake you up. But it isn't the most invigorating thing in Milwaukee. That is going to be the ReFRESH Summit held by The Water Council this October 13-14. I'll be there to moderate conversations and push participants to be…
A growing number of data centers are looking beyond drinking water. In Loudoun County, Virginia's Data Center Alley, some facilities are turning to highly treated reclaimed water for cooling. According to Loudoun Water's Alton Echols, the shift is being driven by two priorities: reducing environmental impacts and strengthening operational resilience.…
💧 H2O INTRO 👤 Meet Eddie Paulino, Senior Civil Engineer at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Every public utility has essential work that takes time away from the field. For Eddie Paulino, one example was the detailed review of construction schedules for stormwater and sanitary sewer infrastructure…
Loudoun County, Virginia — known as Data Center Alley — is home to more than 200 data centers. But according to Loudoun Water, not all of them rely on drinking water. About 40 facilities use reclaimed water for cooling, another 80 use potable water, and roughly 80 operate with air-cooled…
State environmental leaders gathered for World Water Day, and the message was unanimous: the old playbook for managing water no longer fits the crisis. At the Reservoir Center's World Water Day event in Washington, D.C., environmental leaders from New York, Vermont, and the District of Columbia — moderated by Ben…
Loudoun County, Virginia is known as Data Center Alley, the longtime epicenter of the data center industry and home to one of the world's largest concentrations of digital infrastructure. As communities across the country debate the impact of data centers on water resources, Loudoun Water offers a rare look at…
One of Amazon's water conservation projects starts with leaks. Will Hewes, Water Sustainability Lead for Amazon, highlighted a partnership with ION Water that uses cloud-connected monitoring technology to identify hidden water waste inside affordable housing developments in Northern Virginia, home to one of the world's largest concentrations of data centers.…
The future of data center cooling may be flowing through local wastewater pipes. As communities debate the water demands of data centers, Amazon says one solution is to avoid using drinking water whenever possible. Will Hewes, Water Sustainability Lead for Amazon, says the company is investing in projects that deliver…
Just 15 miles from downtown Dallas, a historic community founded by formerly enslaved people is still fighting for something many Americans take for granted: access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Clifford Franey, president of the Sand Branch Development Water Supply Corporation, brought that message to Capitol Hill as…
The numbers driving the data center water debate may not be what you think. Will Hewes, Water Sustainability Lead for Amazon, says one of the most common claims about data centers—that a single facility uses 5 million gallons of water per day—doesn't match what Amazon sees across its global operations.…
💧 H2O INTRO 👤 Meet Jamie Safulko, Client Services Manager at PCL Construction. The debate over public versus private water utilities isn't going away. But Jamie Safulko believes the more important question is how public utilities can evolve to meet growing demands without losing sight of water's role as an…
Data centers are often portrayed as constant water users, but Amazon says the reality is more nuanced. According to Will Hewes, Water Sustainability Lead for Amazon, most of the company's data centers use water-based cooling only during the hottest periods of the year, relying on outside air for cooling more…
The difference between a pipe lasting decades and a pipe lasting a century often comes down to what happens before it ever leaves the factory. In this clip, Jeff Mason of U.S. Pipe explains why ductile iron pipe receives both an interior lining and exterior coating before being shipped to…
A collapsed sewer pipe beneath the Potomac River became one of the largest sewer spills in U.S. history. Maryland's top environmental official says it should be treated as something more than an isolated failure. Speaking at the Reservoir Center's World Water Day event, Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena…
The impact of data centers is currently one of the most discussed issues in water. In this episode, Will Hewes, Water Sustainability Lead for Amazon, shares how one of the world's largest data center operators is managing water use, responding to growing public scrutiny, and working to reduce its impact…
Water affordability isn't just about the size of a bill — it's about the impossible choices families are forced to make to pay it. Janet Clements, President of One Water Econ, cuts through the policy jargon with a definition that hits close to home for millions of Americans. Affordability means…