– Separating myths from modern reality
Data centers: Fact vs. Fiction
What people fear is based on outdated technology from a prior generation of facilities. What communities are actually getting today is completely different — in every measurable way.
– The full picture
Five myths – and the modern reality
Fiction ✗ — What people fear
Water Usage
“Data centers drain our water supply”
Outdated data centers use evaporative cooling that consumes millions of gallons per day. This is the old model people are rightly worried about.
New generation: low or zero water cooling
Modern facilities use air or closed-loop systems. Total water use equals approximately 5–7 single-family homes — a fraction of older designs.
Electric Bills
“They’ll spike our electric bills”
Older data centers operate at significantly lower energy efficiency levels, wasting a substantial portion of the power they consume. Grid upgrades are typically passed on to ratepayers.
Developer funds all utility upgrades
New generation operates at much higher efficiency with minimal energy waste. The developer takes full financial responsibility for all infrastructure upgrades — delivering long-term benefits to the broader community.
Heat Management
“They dump heat into the neighborhood“
Old data centers release excess heat wastefully, increasing local energy demand and contributing to heat buildup in surrounding areas.
Heat captured and put to productive use
Modern facilities use advanced cooling and heat reuse. Captured heat can warm local buildings, greenhouses, or district heating systems — turning waste into a community benefit.
Sound
“The noise will disrupt our neighborhood“
Legacy data centers generate significant noise levels, loud enough to be noticeable at considerable distances. Older equipment operates with little to no sound mitigation, making it particularly disruptive at night.
Meets township industrial sound standards
Modern data centers employ advanced acoustic dampening. Off-site and property line levels are kept at 60 dB — quieter than a lawnmower, less than a busy restaurant — well within applicable township industrial use standards.
Carbon Impact
“They’re fossil fuel polluters“
Old data centers have higher overall emissions, rely on fossil fuels, run backup generators frequently, and release NOx, SOx, and particulates into local air.
Lower emissions by design
New generation uses high-efficiency electrical systems, renewables, and battery storage. Backup generators run only in rare emergencies. Smaller lifetime carbon footprint and improved local air quality.
– The facts point to stronger outcomes
