Committee hears DNR's concerns about closed-loop cooling flush water and opaque treatment arrangements
DNR staff told Portage County members that many hyperscale data centers use closed-loop cooling and that the chemistry of flushed loop water can prevent municipal treatment; operators sometimes rely on specialized treatment and non-disclosure agreements, and DNR is investigating disposal pathways.
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Committee members asked where closed-loop flush water goes and whether municipal wastewater plants can treat it. Adam (S4) said many modern hyperscale sites use closed-loop cooling that minimizes routine discharges but still requires occasional flushing. "They're just recycling the water," he said, but when the system is flushed, the water can contain additives and chemicals municipal plants may not be able to treat.
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