Event Overview
The rapid expansion of data centers is on everyone’s mind. While there is much talk about energy use and data centers, the implications for water are less known. They are considerable. New hyperscale data centers are forecasted to withdraw 150.4 billion gallons of water between 2025 and 2030, the equivalent of 4.6 million U.S. households.
More than 97% of water used by major data center operators is purchased from municipal drinking water systems and used consumptively, meaning that it is evaporated and lost to the system. Data center water use, even in the Great Lakes watershed, has serious implications for the present and the future.
Although data centers potentially require a lot of water, they do not need high quality drinking water. Other countries and U.S. states rely on water recycling to supply this growing sector, and their precedent can be a roadmap for water reuse around the Great Lakes.
● What would it take to advance water reuse in Illinois?
● What policy, infrastructure, partnerships and voices are essential?
● What can we learn from established models elsewhere, and what can Illinois contribute?
PANELISTS
- Precious Brady-Davis, Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
- James Jennings, Acting Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
- Rachel Havrelock, Director, The Freshwater Lab
- Robert Strong, Environmental Justice Advocate, Crossroads Collective
- Brad Tietz, Director of State Policy, Data Center Coalition
MODERATOR
Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco, Midwest Regional Reporter, Grist and WBEZ Chicago
Through focused discussion and breakout sessions, we aim to move beyond ideas toward actionable pathways. Learn more at freshwaterlab.org/water-recycle.
Host: The Freshwater Lab
Location
UIC Institute for the Humanities, 1007 W. Harrison Street, Behavioral Sciences Building Suite 153 Chicago, Illinois 60607
This event will also be livestreamed via The Freshwater Lab YouTube page at @thefreshwaterlab.
Date and Time
Friday May 8, from 1pm to 3pm
Cost
Free
Event Type
Panel Discussion / Seminar
