Topic 03 of 13 · 18 guides

Water, gas & fiber

The utilities beyond electricity that a campus needs to run, cool itself and connect.

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Climate, Cooling and Data Center Site SelectionHow climate affects data center site selection: ASHRAE temperature ranges, free cooling hours, peak design days, liquid cooling and the tradeoff with water.10 min →
Reclaimed Water for Data Center CoolingHow data centers use reclaimed wastewater for cooling: state rules, water quality and treatment, pipelines, supply contracts, and how to screen a site for it.10 min →
Air vs. Liquid Cooling: What Each Needs From a SiteHow air and liquid cooling change what a data center needs from its site: power per acre, water, mechanical yard space, structure, noise and climate exposure.9 min →
Dark Fiber vs. Lit Services: Which Does a Data Center Site Need?How dark fiber and lit services differ for data centers: control, capacity, IRUs, optics, maintenance, and what each one asks of the site and its routes.10 min →
How Long-Haul and Subsea Fiber Routes Affect Data Center Site SelectionHow long-haul terrestrial and subsea fiber routes shape data center site selection: corridors, access points, latency, diversity and cable landing stations.10 min →
Water Rights and Groundwater Permits for Data CentersHow water rights work for data center sites: prior appropriation vs. riparian law, groundwater permits and districts, and municipal water supply agreements.8 min →
Wastewater and Cooling Water Discharge for Data CentersWhere data center cooling blowdown goes: sewer discharge and pretreatment permits, NPDES direct discharge, POTW capacity and what recent city agreements require.8 min →
Water Stress and Drought Risk in Data Center SitingHow to judge water stress and drought risk for a data center site: WRI Aqueduct scores, the U.S. Drought Monitor, long-term supply outlooks and public scrutiny.8 min →
Closed-Loop and Waterless Data Center Cooling: What It Means for a SiteHow closed-loop and waterless data center cooling work: dry coolers, adiabatic units and chillers, the power penalty on hot days, and what each asks of a site.9 min →
Fiber Route Diversity and Latency for Data Center SitesHow to judge fiber route diversity and latency for a data center site: what makes paths truly diverse, the 5 µs per km rule, carrier counts and rural fiber builds.8 min →
Internet Exchange Points and Carrier Hotels: Why They Shape Data Center MarketsWhat internet exchange points and carrier hotels are, why interconnection density anchors data center markets, and how to judge a site’s distance from them.9 min →
Latency Requirements by Workload: Where Data Center Proximity MattersData center latency requirements by workload: AI training vs. inference, cloud zones, edge, storage replication and trading, and how each shapes location.9 min →
Firm Natural Gas Transportation for Data Center On-Site PowerHow firm natural gas transportation works for data center on-site power: firm vs. interruptible service, capacity, FERC approvals, laterals and contracts.9 min →
Municipal Water and Sewer Capacity for Data Center Sites: Treatment Plants, Extensions and Will-Serve LettersHow to check municipal water and sewer capacity for a data center site: treatment plant headroom, mains, fire flow, extensions, fees and will-serve letters.10 min →
Data Center Heat Reuse and District Heating: EU Rules, Nordic Examples and U.S. Site ImplicationsHow data center heat reuse and district heating work: EU Energy Efficiency Directive rules, Nordic projects, heat pumps, U.S. potential and what it means for a site.10 min →

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