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https://natureforward.org/data-centers-and-water-use/
Data centers can introduce several types of pollutants into water systems. These pollutants fall into three main categories.
Biocides: chemicals to prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and algae in the cooling system, and the most common pollutant in data center water systems.
Corrosion inhibitors: chemicals that prevent corrosion within cooling systems
Heavy metals: metals, such as copper zinc, and lead, that can enter the water in trace amounts when metal components degrade.
Additionally, fine salt dust that drifts in the atmosphere from evaporative cooling towers can settle on nearby soils and surface waters, potentially harming vegetation and increasing salinity in aquatic systems. This concern is especially pressing given that salt pollution is already a growing issue in certain water supply reservoirs, including the Occoquan.
None of this even includes the water from the additional electricity generation required to power the data centers
