Colquitt County extends data center moratorium

Colquitt County commissioners have extended a moratorium on the development of data centers for an additional 180 days. The decision follows public discussions regarding the potential environmental and geological risks associated with high-volume water consumption by such facilities.

During recent meetings, residents raised concerns that rapid water use could create a ‘cone of depression’ in the local aquifer. Such a phenomenon could potentially pull arsenic from the underlying lime into the drinking and well water supplies, posing risks to human health, livestock, and agriculture. Officials are currently reviewing water-related restrictions and the potential benefits of closed-loop water systems to mitigate these risks.