Columbiana officials, residents spar over proposed DigiHost data center’s water, noise and transparency

City officials and residents discussed plans for a data center on Industrial Parkway during public comment at a Columbiana City Council meeting, focusing on water use, noise, energy supply and whether the city had been sufficiently informed.

Mayor (name not specified) said the company, previously discussed in 2022 as DigiHost and now calling itself Digi Power X, purchased about 10 acres in the industrial park and has operated a small crypto-mining setup there. "They bought approximately 10 acres in our industrial park," the mayor said, adding that the company’s initial operation involved a small number of pods and was not generating audible noise from the road.

Residents and council members pressed for more specific facts about the company’s plans and potential impacts. One resident said, "these data centers destroy communities through noise, through the amount of water usage, and amount of electrical usage," and warned of falling property values. The mayor acknowledged community concern and said he had signed a nondisclosure agreement…