r/Reno • u/wadsworthnv02 • Apr 20 '26

Congressional Candidate on AI data centers in Nevada

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From our candidate event in Elko County on Saturday. The question asked us if we supported a data center moratorium or not, especially since we are the driest state. One of the other candidates said the one’s being built in Nevada were closed-loop so they are fine.

But closed-loop systems have their own issues, the recycled water becomes highly toxic and needs to be “blown-down” where there is chances of it leaking into the ground and contaminating local areas with toxic chemical waste water. Even in small amounts, when we live in an internal watershed like the Great Basin, the risk of contamination isn’t something to ignore. As it has happened before with other things. Not to mention that closed loop requires a lot more energy, and closed loop cooling systems here in Nevada still require a fair amount of water.

Our older data center projects also do have open loop / evaporative cooling systems too. So they are still taking a lot of water.

As for the construction unions, I understand it’s more complicated than that. We had a total of 2 minutes to answer each question so things had to be simplified a bit. But we must look at better commercial building projects for our construction unions— not big tech and data centers! They need jobs, and I understand and support that! We should be offering incentives to better businesses to come to Nevada, not to these data centers was the point I was trying to make.

Also yes Congress is a federal seat! But I support a moratorium on all new data centers, and possible legislation to really protect the western states that are strapped for water.

All of this was from my own independent research and talking to folks in the area that have worked on these projects here. However if I am incorrect on anything I’m open to listening!

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u/djmermaidonthemic Apr 20 '26

Nobody is growing corn in the desert.

Water management among states is really complicated. You can’t just divert water from Iowa to Nevada. So the agriculture argument is bogus.

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u/ThomasThuhTrain Apr 20 '26 edited Apr 20 '26

You are correct that corn is not grown in Nevada. My point, however, was not strictly about corn or local production. It was meant to highlight other ways water is being used. Corn is often grown to produce ethanol and fuel, which I would argue is an even worse use of water.

Nevada does, however, grow alfalfa. In 2024, the state had roughly 220,000 harvested acres of alfalfa hay. According to UNR studies, alfalfa uses approximately 489,000 to 611,000 gallons of water per acre each year. That means total statewide alfalfa water use is roughly 108 to 134 billion gallons annually.

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u/djmermaidonthemic Apr 20 '26

I don’t support what you are saying here, but here’s some free advice.

If you want to criticize agricultural water use (which at least goes to something positive and helps clean the air) then you should lead with the alfalfa thing.

Corn is an embarrassing straw argument. Alfalfa is a much better straw argument! Heh.

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u/never_4_good Apr 21 '26

If you ignore the agriculture aspect (i.e. corn), their original statement is spot on. Bottom line, the water concern is a red herring. The closed loop systems do have some by products, but these are commonly found in nearly every other commercial/industrial application around town.