How Much Water Will Meta's Data Center Use? Rosemount Gave an Answer
TLDR
A resident question at the June 18 water meeting asked how much water Meta's data center will use and what it means for the city's supply.
The city says it agreed to supply up to 100,000 gallons of capacity on peak days — a few times a year, mostly for watering the grounds — with typical daily use closer to 25,000–35,000 gallons.
Officials called that normal for a big user. Some residents have pushed back on the city's water-use comparisons before.
Water and data centers have been a tense combo in Rosemount for a while. So when someone submitted a question at the June 18 meeting asking directly about Meta's water use, the room paid attention. The city gave a real number — and it's worth understanding both the answer and why some neighbors stay skeptical.
The City's Answer
Public Works Director Nick Egger explained that the city has a water capacity agreement with Meta. The deal lets the data center draw up to 100,000 gallons of capacity on a peak day.
But — and this is the key part — the city says that peak would only hit a few times a year, during the warm months, and mostly for irrigation on the site. For most of the year, Egger said, typical daily use would run a quarter to a third of that, somewhere around 25,000 to 35,000 gallons. That covers staff, indoor systems like HVAC, and the like.
Next to the city's overall water numbers, officials said, that's a small slice. They pointed out that several existing businesses in Rosemount already use that much water or more.
Why Some Residents Aren't Sold
Here's the honest part. The city has framed the data center's water use as routine before, and not everyone has bought it. At earlier meetings, residents pushed back on the city's comparisons and questioned whether the math really added up.
That skepticism is part of a bigger fight. Rosemount residents organized hard enough that the city approved a data center moratorium back in April, and concerns flared again when a second Meta data center entered the picture. When a community is already on edge about a project, a single water number doesn't settle everything — especially when the gross alpha issue has people thinking hard about the city's wells.
It's also worth noting the figure the city shared is about water piped from the city system. Big data centers can use water in other ways too, and how much they draw overall is a question communities across Minnesota are wrestling with.
The Bottom Line
The city's message at the meeting was steady: the data center's water use is small, planned for, and not a threat to your supply. That's a fair thing to report. It's also fair to say a lot of residents want more than reassurance — they want detailed, independent numbers they can check.
The takeaway: you now have the city's figure — up to 100,000 gallons on peak days, far less day to day. Whether that puts the question to rest is something each resident gets to decide. And with the city asking the DNR to pump more water as it grows, expect water and data centers to keep sharing the same conversation.
FAQ
How much water will the Meta data center use? The city says up to 100,000 gallons on peak days a few times a year, with typical daily use around 25,000–35,000 gallons.
Is that a lot? The city says no — several existing Rosemount businesses use similar amounts or more, and it's a small share of the city's total.
Why are residents still worried? Some have questioned the city's past water comparisons, and the data center has been a flashpoint that led to a moratorium.
Does this affect my water pressure or supply? The city says the agreement is built into its existing supply projections and won't strain the system.
Is the city getting more water for growth? Yes — Rosemount has asked the DNR to raise its yearly pumping limit to keep up with new development.
