City OKs Google data centers amid secrecy, water worries

The council of a small Oregon city has approved a deal with Google that will enable the technology giant to build more water-guzzling data centers there, though some residents worry about drought and the secrecy

SALEM, Ore. -- The council of a small Oregon city has approved a deal with Google that will enable the technology giant to build two more water-guzzling data centers there, though some residents worry about drought and secrecy.

A single data center can churn through millions of gallons of water per day to keep hot-running equipment cool, and the placement of these facilities in drought-prone areas is an increasing concern around the globe, even as reliance on them is growing. Data centers form the “cloud” that helps people stream movies, conduct research at the touch of a button, buy things and store photos and videos.

Members of the Dalles City Council unanimously approved the $28.5 million deal Monday night. The new data centers would be in addition to the three cavernous facilities Google already has in the town. Google built its first-ever industrial-scale data center in The Dalles in 2006.

Google spokeswoman Kate Franko, in a statement issued after the vote, underscored the public's need for data centers.