Data Center Water Use and Fauquier County Zoning

A Legal Commitment

Water Use, Cooling, and the Record

Fauquier County's Data Center Policy requires all applicants to commit to using recycled water. Gigaland's proffered commitment goes further: no public water, groundwater, or surface water may be used for cooling purposes at all.

What Fauquier County's Data Center Policy requires

Fauquier County Board of Supervisors Data Center Policy, Section IV.B

"Applications shall demonstrate and commit to meeting the County's recycled water requirement."

Source: Fauquier County Board of Supervisors Data Center Policy, adopted December 14, 2023, Page 7 of 8

What Gigaland has legally committed to

Gigaland's proffer statement, submitted June 12, 2026, goes beyond the county's baseline requirement:

Gigaland Proffer Statement, Section V.B — Industrial Water and Sewer Use
"The Applicant shall utilize air or closed-loop cooling systems for all data center buildings on the Property or other innovative technology, which complies with the Fauquier County Zoning Ordinance, and shall not use public water, groundwater, surface water withdrawals, or surface water discharges for cooling purposes associated with data center uses on the Property. Any initial fill of a closed-loop cooling system, and any maintenance fills or required topping off due to loss shall be sourced from water hauling companies. Any wastewater generated from flushing, maintenance, or servicing of the cooling systems shall be disposed of through off-site hauling to a licensed disposal facility, appropriate pre-treatment, or other means in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations."
Source: Gigaland LLC Proffer Statement

This commitment runs with the land and binds Gigaland, its successors, and all future owners.

The Water Infrastructure Gigaland is Building

Wells, a treatment plant, and a water tower for the community

Gigaland's rezoning application includes two water wells, a water treatment plant, and a water tower on a 43.16-acre portion of the property. This infrastructure is public water supply, not data center cooling.

It will be built at Gigaland's expense and conveyed at no cost to the Fauquier County Water and Sanitation Authority (FCWSA) for ownership and operation.

A note on this land:

The 43.16-acre parcel will be downzoned to Rural Agriculture and placed under a permanent conservation easement before the first data center building is occupied, restricting its use to utility infrastructure in perpetuity. Water and sewer service will also extend to adjacent properties within the service district.

The water concern is legitimate. It does not apply here.

Public concern about data center water use is understandable. Conventional wet-tower evaporative cooling systems can consume millions of gallons of water per year, and in water-stressed regions this has created real conflicts with residential wells, agricultural irrigation, and municipal supply capacity.

Gigaland's proffer, prohibiting public water, groundwater, and surface water use for cooling, removes that risk here.

Domestic and sanitary use

Standard plumbing for employee restrooms and break rooms, consistent with office occupancy at comparable square footage. No industrial-scale water process involved.

Fire suppression

Water-based fire suppression systems are standard in large commercial facilities. The proffer requires Gigaland to demonstrate adequacy of water for firefighting without impacting local private wells or public water sources.

Cooling system fills and maintenance

Any water needed for these are sourced entirely from off-site water hauling companies, with wastewater disposed of through licensed off-site facilities. No local water source is used.