Citizens United for Transparency today urged developers, utilities, and local governments to publish verified figures on the water and energy use of proposed data centers, so that public debate rests on facts rather than worst-case estimates circulated without support.
Resource use is one of the most common concerns raised about data centers — and one of the most frequently misstated. Figures are sometimes repeated without a source, or a facility’s one-time construction fill is confused with continuous consumption. Accurate numbers benefit everyone: they let genuine concerns be addressed and prevent decisions from turning on misinformation.
“Good policy needs good numbers,” the organization said. “If a project’s real resource footprint is a problem, the public deserves to know. And if a widely shared figure is simply wrong, the public deserves to know that too.”
The organization recommends that, for any major project, the following be verified and posted publicly before a decision:
- Projected annual energy consumption and the source mix, reviewed by the serving utility.
- Water use broken out clearly: one-time fill versus recurring consumption, and whether cooling is closed-loop, evaporative, or recycled-water.
- Any independent or third-party review of the developer’s figures.
- A plain-language summary so residents without technical training can understand the numbers.
Citizens United for Transparency does not endorse or oppose particular projects on the basis of these figures. It asks only that the figures be real, sourced, and public — the minimum condition for a debate worth having.
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Note on sources and fairness. This release states the policy positions and recommendations of Citizens United for Transparency. It does not allege that any specific person or organization has engaged in unlawful conduct. Where public reports or official proceedings are referenced, they are linked or attributed and reflect those sources, not independent findings by this organization. All individuals and organizations are presumed innocent unless and until proven otherwise.
About Citizens United for Transparency
Citizens United for Transparency is a nonpartisan watchdog dedicated to exposing dark money, foreign influence, and undisclosed funding in policy debates affecting national security and economic growth. It collaborates with other transparency organizations to gather information and promote disclosure.
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