Google has approached the Linn County supervisors about building a new data center in rural Linn County.
Supervisor Kirsten Running-Marquardt says it’s time to do a water balance study to determine whether the county’s water supply can support new data center development. ““It became obvious that we needed to perform a study to get an assessment and a baseline of our current water resources, including our rivers and aquifers,” she says. “This is a critical time to get this information before more development moves forward.”
A representative from Google met with county supervisors in mid-September to discuss plans for what could be a six-building data center. Google has offered to pay for the water study and Running-Marquardt says it’s important for the county to know where existing and future data centers will get their water. “I believe that Linn County is best suited to take these considerations and make a fair ordinance taking in considerations of all communities and their water needs throughout the county. Google has been a fair and good partner so far with these communications,” Running-Marquardt.
The county estimates it will take 18 months to complete the water study. Google is looking at land near the decommissioned Duane Arnold nuclear power plant near Cedar Rapids. NextEra Energy is trying to reopen the plant that was decommissioned in 2020, with the hope of having it back up and running in 2028.
(By James Kelley, Iowa Public Radio)