When you stream a movie, upload photos, or use cloud storage, your data is being processed through massive facilities known as data centers. These buildings—filled with servers and cooling systems—are the backbone of our digital world. But like all infrastructure, they come with trade-offs, particularly when it comes to water, land, and energy.
Why This Matters in Washtenaw County
Our county is a mix of thriving farmland, growing suburban neighborhoods, and expanding technology corridors. Data centers are increasingly being proposed across Michigan, including in areas near Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Washtenaw’s location—close to major population centers, with access to groundwater, energy infrastructure, and available land—makes it attractive to developers.
At the same time, natural resource pressures are already present here. Thousands of residents rely on private wells for drinking water. Farmers depend on groundwater and healthy soils for their crops and livestock. And our county is steadily losing farmland to development, even as demand for local food and open space grows.
Large-scale facilities like data centers require not only vast amounts of electricity and water, but also large parcels of land—often hundreds of acres. When agricultural or open land is converted for industrial-scale use, it reduces the land base available for farming, habitat, and recreation. These changes ripple out to affect soil health, stormwater management, and community character.
What the Research Shows
Two recent reports highlight these trade-offs:
- What Happens When Data Centers Come to Town? (University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy)
This brief explores how data centers affect communities, including demands on energy, water, and land, as well as questions about tax incentives and long-term community benefits. - Great Lakes Region Unprepared for Increasing Water Use Demands (Alliance for the Great Lakes)
This report warns that industries like data centers could place additional pressure on regional water supplies, competing with agriculture, households, and ecosystems for limited resources.
The Local Connection
In Washtenaw County, these issues intersect. Recent drought conditions have underscored how vulnerable groundwater can be. At the same time, farmland conversion continues at a pace that raises concerns about food security, wildlife habitat, and flood resilience. Adding new large-scale developments without careful planning can intensify these challenges.
For farmers, this matters because agriculture is a land- and water-dependent sector. For residents, it matters because land use decisions shape the future of our drinking water, local food economy, and community character.
Staying Informed, Staying Engaged
The goal is not to say “yes” or “no” to data centers, but to ensure that decisions are informed by a clear understanding of the natural resource trade-offs. Communities that ask the right questions—about water sourcing, wastewater management, land conversion, and energy use—are better positioned to balance growth with conservation.
Many land use decisions are made at the local level by township boards and planning commissions. Attending township meetings is one of the best ways to stay current on hyper-local issues like proposed developments, zoning changes, and farmland preservation opportunities.
For landowners who want to see farmland remain in production, programs like MiFarmLink can help connect retiring farmers and farmland owners with beginning and established farmers seeking land. This kind of transfer ensures farmland continues to serve its highest purpose—producing food, supporting local economies, and protecting open space.
At WCCD, we believe that conservation begins with awareness. By staying informed about how developments like data centers intersect with land and water use in Washtenaw County, and by engaging in local decision-making, we can all play a role in protecting the resources that sustain us.
You can read the full reports here: