3 ms·

I mean, it's not like the water is being destroyed, or even rendered undrinkable, it's just being warmed...

• 2muchcoffeeman 10y ago
  Right, but > The Google aquifer permit application states it will reuse water before eventually discharging it to the sewer system, but the company did not provide details when asked by The Post and Courier. And 2 paragraphs down > Groundwater can be returned to the aquifer after use, but some is lost to evaporation and the operation is costly, according to industry sources. There are other alternatives. The National Security Agency cools its Fort Meade, Maryland data center with treated wastewater, touted as an environmental boon and cost savings compared to tap water or aquifer pumping. So basically Google is going to draw aquifer water, probably reuse it and potentially just flush the water into the the sewer system.
  • Spooky23 10y ago
    This is why skepticism is warranted whenever politicians and business people bemoan environmental regulations. Alphabet management bears no cost and gives no shits about contributing to aquifer depletion in South Carolina. Of course the people running South Carolina probably don't either!
  • thescriptkiddie 10y ago
    I wonder why they don't just pump the heated water back down into the aquifer. That would make it basically an open-loop geothermal heat pump.
    • icelancer 10y ago
      This almost certainly has some negative environmental effects.
• PhasmaFelis 10y ago
  It's being moved. Drawing down groundwater on a massive scale can have massive and permanent environmental effects. The fact that it still exists somewhere is immaterial.