30-Year Data Center Builder Counters Critics: Closed-Loop Cooling Tops Up Only ~5,000 Gallons a Year
GlenBradley · x · 2026-09-04
Glen Bradley, who has spent nearly 30 years building data cages and data floors, pushed back on critics of rural data center siting with first-hand empirical data.
- He argues critics overstate closed-circuit cooling water use by three orders of magnitude: typical annual replacement volume is about 5,000 gallons, not millions (the millions-per-year figure applies to evaporative systems).
- On jobs: while only 5 staff are permanently on site, data centers employ hundreds of contractors for routine maintenance, equipment replacement and servicing — permanent headcount is only part of the story.
- He stresses he is speaking from direct first-hand experience, not speculation, and criticizes the opposing side's handling of empirical data.
Related event: Industry Veterans Push Back on Data Center Critics With Water and Jobs Data(2 posts)→
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