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Water use and groundwater protection emerge as flashpoints in Honey Brook data center review
Summary
Commissioners and residents pressed staff to reconcile inconsistent water‑use figures in the draft ordinance and discussed prohibiting private high‑yield wells and favoring closed‑loop cooling; staff said the draft will be reviewed to align per‑megawatt limits and public‑water requirements.
Water consumption and groundwater impacts were repeatedly raised by residents and commissioners during the data center ordinance review.
A resident pointed to conflicting numbers in the draft and other model ordinances, noting an early citation of “50 gallons per megawatt” and other text showing much larger figures, and urged the commission to reconcile the apparent discrepancy. Staff said the draft favors closed‑loop cooling systems, would prohibit private high‑yield wells for cooling, and intends to require use of public water where appropriate.
Staff acknowledged the need to harmonize figures used in different sections and committed to reviewing the draft water provisions to ensure consistency with the township’s public‑water preference and wellhead protection standards. Commissioners requested a clearer hydrological impact analysis and explicit limits tied to the community environmental impact analysis.
