Water Readiness and Data Centers: A Near-Term Study for Ohio
Key Findings
Resource Strength
Favorable
Water Availability Position
Ohio has ample surface and groundwater resources to support near-term development alongside existing business and residential needs.
Growth Outlook
10–15 GW
Projected Columbus Capacity by 2030
Central Ohio remains the primary scale case, projected to scale from ~1.9 GW today.
The Hidden Driver
Energy Nexus
Integrated Planning Co-Dependency
In many scenarios, the indirect water required for grid electricity generation drives more total water demand than on-site data center cooling.
Growth Outlook
+76%
Runoff Surge Without Mitigation
The clearest recurring local impact is stormwater runoff from large impervious facility footprints, making site-design critical.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Balancing Innovation with Resource Stewardship
In less than a decade, Ohio has transformed into a premier national technology and cloud infrastructure hub. However, this rapid data center growth has placed resource management—specifically water consumption and wastewater infrastructure—firmly into the legislative and public spotlight.
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation, in a strategic partnership with Deloitte Consulting LLP, launched this eight-week study to transition public discourse from speculation to evidence-based reality. By modeling localized data across two primary development corridors—Columbus (Upper Scioto watershed) and Cincinnati-Dayton—this report establishes exactly where Ohio stands.
The Central Finding
The key question for Ohio is not whether the state has enough water to support data center growth; it is whether our infrastructure delivery, utility coordination, and public transparency can keep pace with that growth. Ohio is exceptionally well-positioned to support projected expansions through 2030. Water resource scarcity is not a binding constraint; rather, long-term economic competitiveness will depend entirely on eliminating local service bottlenecks and coordinating water, wastewater, and energy planning as linked systems.
The Columbus Corridor
The Baseline Profile: Serves as the high-pressure planning case for Ohio, currently holding over 95% of the state's data center capacity.
Water Sourcing: Highly surface-water rich and river-prevalent, relying heavily on the Upper Scioto River system and local reservoirs.
2030 Modeled Scenario Demand: Direct data center water consumption is projected to range from a low of 5.1 MGD to a high of 43.7 MGD, with a realistic base case of 28.8 MGD.
Primary Local Imperative: Managing source-water sensitivity, executing timely utility distribution expansions, and integrating co-located energy resources.
The Cincinnati-Dayton Corridor
The Baseline Profile: Starts from a significantly smaller capacity base (~65 MW today) but is poised to scale at a steep percentage rate to 450–550 MW by 2030.
Water Sourcing: Highly groundwater-rich, anchored by the massive storage headroom of the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer system.
2030 Modeled Scenario Demand: Direct water consumption footprints remain highly marginal, spanning 0.1 MGD to 3.5 MGD, with a base case of 2.2 MGD.
Primary Local Imperative: Proactive, aquifer-sensitive facility siting, multi-jurisdictional utility coordination, and localized storm runoff capture.
Download The Report
About the Research Foundation
he Ohio Chamber of Commerce Research Foundation provides non-partisan, data-driven educational resources to state policymakers and the public. Our work focuses on ensuring Ohio remains an environment where businesses thrive, communities stay resilient, and economic public policies support long-term regional competitiveness.
Partnership Credit: This study was conducted by the infrastructure, water asset, and scenario-modeling specialists at Deloitte Consulting LLP.
Partnership Credit: This study was conducted by the infrastructure, water asset, and scenario-modeling specialists at Deloitte Consulting LLP.