WaterMark / Jurisdictions / Chandler, AZ
Chandler, AZ: Data Center Water Impact
Reference data for evaluating a data center proposal in Chandler, AZ. Every figure below is a stored value with its primary source attached. Facility-scale results are produced by the assessment tool.
Water supply
| Metric | Value | Source / basis |
|---|---|---|
| Water utility | City of Chandler Water Services | Utility of record |
| Supply source | Salt River Project / CAP / Reclaimed | Utility of record |
| Treatment capacity | 65 MGD | Water stress: WRI Aqueduct 4.0, HUC-8 basin 15060106. Utility data: Chandler Water Services. |
| Water rate | $5.88 / 1,000 gal | City of Chandler Water Services published rate schedule |
| Watershed stress | High (3.9 / 5) | Water stress: WRI Aqueduct 4.0, HUC-8 basin 15060106. Utility data: Chandler Water Services. |
Watershed consumptive use
Basin: Middle Gila (HUC-8 15060106). Figures are consumptive use, not withdrawal, because evaporative data center loss is consumptive. USGS data year 2020.
| Category | Consumptive use (MGD) | Share of basin |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | 50 | 21.2% |
| Thermoelectric power | 25 | 10.6% |
| Industrial | 60 | 25.4% |
| Irrigation | 80 | 33.9% |
| Mining | 3 | 1.3% |
| Existing data centers | 18 | 7.6% |
| Total | 236 | 100.0% |
Total is the sum of the categories listed above. Shares are each category divided by that total. Source: USGS Water Use 2020, Maricopa County (Chandler portion). Industrial: Intel Ocotillo water reports.
Grid generation water (Scope 2)
Generating the electricity a data center consumes evaporates water at the power plant. That volume is real, it is attributable, and it is excluded from most corporate "water positive" accounting. On a thermal grid it is frequently comparable to the facility's own cooling water.
| Metric | Value | Source / basis |
|---|---|---|
| Grid region | WECC Southwest | WECC |
| Electric utility | SRP / APS | Utility of record |
| Grid water intensity | 0.37 gal / kWh | Macknick et al. 2012 consumption factors, weighted by AZ generation mix (EIA) |
| Local peak demand | 1,600 MW | WECC |
| Modeled rate impact | 6% to 14% | See methodology |
Where this water is consumed: WECC Southwest plants (Palo Verde nuclear, gas peakers) draw cooling water from this region. Scope 2 water for AZ data centers is partly local.
Run this county at your facility size. The assessment tool computes direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) water for a specific load, cooling system, and mitigation stack, with the same citations attached.
Reducing the footprint here
A high stress reading is a design constraint, not a verdict. Closed-loop and dry or hybrid cooling, adiabatic assist, immersion, and reclaimed or non-potable sourcing each move the direct number, and siting against a cleaner grid mix moves the indirect number. The solutions catalog lists each option with its water reduction, its energy and cost tradeoff, and its source.
Regulatory and siting status
Phoenix / Chandler / Mesa. Colorado River shortage cuts: the 2007 interim guidelines that set the Tier 1 / Tier 2 framework expire 1 Oct 2026, and Reclamation's post-2026 Final EIS (31 Jul 2026) proposes a 10-year framework through 2036 allowing Lower Basin reductions of up to 3 MAF/yr. A Record of Decision is still pending. CAP holds junior priority. Heavy existing DC + semiconductor (Intel, TSMC). High wet-bulb summer.
- Hyperscale activity
- Arid / water stressed
- High existing data center load
Sources: Water: ADWR. Colorado River: Reclamation post-2026 Final EIS; DOI, 31 Jul 2026. Grid: WECC SW (Palo Verde, gas peakers). Incentives: AZ DC abatement (A.R.S. §42-12009), but the FY2027 state budget bars the Arizona Commerce Authority from accepting new applications or renewals from 1 Jul 2026 through 30 Jun 2029; certificates issued before the cutoff are grandfathered (AZ Capitol Times, 9 Jul 2026).
Comparative siting scores for this county, alongside every other county tracked, are on the US Siting Matrix.
Related counties
| County | Water source | Watershed stress |
|---|---|---|
| Pima County, AZ (Tucson) | Colorado River / Central AZ Project + Aquifer | Extremely High (4.2/5) |
| Mesa, AZ (Maricopa County) | Salt River Project / CAP (Colorado River) + groundwater | High (3.8/5) |
| Pinal County, AZ (Casa Grande / Eloy) | Groundwater + Central Arizona Project (Colorado River) — Pinal AMA | Extremely High (4.6/5) |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | Lake Mead / Colorado River | Extremely High (4.5/5) |
| Washoe County, NV (Reno) | Truckee River + Donner Lake | High (3.2/5) |
How these numbers are derived
Assumptions, formulas, and the full source list are in the methodology. WaterMark is published by Standard Water Corp and is not affiliated with any data center developer, utility, or government agency.