Where will OpenAI’s Effingham County data center get its water from?
Questions about the project’s water usage have been a top concern for some residents.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. —
Since the Wednesday announcement of OpenAI’s proposed $20 billion data center, questions about the project’s water usage have been a top concern for some in Effingham County.
The project, which has prompted discussions about its potential economic impact and infrastructure needs, has also raised questions about electricity demand, environmental impacts and transparency.
Across the nation, data centers have come under increased scrutiny over their water and energy consumption as demand for artificial intelligence continues to grow.
At Thursday’s open house, OpenAI representatives told attendees the proposed facility would use a closed-loop cooling system designed to recycle and reuse most of the water used for cooling operations.
“Our approach is really different,” said Aaron McLear, OpenAI’s vice president of communications. “We’re using minimal water, circulating the water throughout the building so that’s not as much of a concern.”
Some residents said they remain concerned about the project’s overall water demand and sought additional details about how the cooling system would operate.
“My concern is we’ve been told about the closed-loop system… but there has to be an initial contribution,” said Effingham County resident Summer Holt.
County officials said the project would rely on surface water from the Savannah River rather than groundwater supplies.
“No groundwater will ever go to this project,” Effingham County Commissioner Phil Kieffer said. “It will be supplied by surface water… It will be coming from the Savannah River.”
Still, several residents said they left the meeting with unanswered questions, including how much water the facility would require initially and over the long term, and what that demand could mean for the surrounding community.
“I’m a little bit frustrated because… when I ask a question, instead of answering that question, I’m rerouted,” Holt said.
WJCL requested an interview with Effingham County Manager Tim Callahan to address resident concerns, but were told he was unavailable prior to publication.
The City of Savannah was also contacted for information about its role in supplying water from the Savannah River for the proposed project. A response had not been received as of publication.