WaterMark / Jurisdictions / Fulton County, GA (Atlanta)
Fulton County, GA (Atlanta): Data Center Water Impact
Reference data for evaluating a data center proposal in Fulton County, GA (Atlanta). 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 Atlanta DWM | Utility of record |
| Supply source | Chattahoochee River / Lake Lanier | Utility of record |
| Treatment capacity | 195 MGD | Water stress: WRI Aqueduct 4.0, HUC-8 03130001. Lake Lanier supply contested in ACT/ACF basin water wars. |
| Water rate | $8.00 / 1,000 gal | City of Atlanta DWM published rate schedule |
| Watershed stress | High (3.8 / 5) | Water stress: WRI Aqueduct 4.0, HUC-8 03130001. Lake Lanier supply contested in ACT/ACF basin water wars. |
Watershed consumptive use
Basin: Upper Chattahoochee (HUC-8 03130001). 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 | 110 | 68.1% |
| Thermoelectric power | 22 | 13.6% |
| Industrial | 18 | 11.1% |
| Irrigation | 5 | 3.1% |
| Mining | 0.5 | 0.3% |
| Existing data centers | 6 | 3.7% |
| Total | 161.5 | 100.0% |
Total is the sum of the categories listed above. Shares are each category divided by that total. Source: USGS Water Use 2020, Fulton County. ACT/ACF water-wars context.
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 | Southern (GA Power) | Georgia Power |
| Electric utility | Georgia Power | Utility of record |
| Grid water intensity | 0.4 gal / kWh | Macknick et al. 2012 × GA Power generation mix (Vogtle 3&4 online 2023-24: nuclear ~35%, gas ~45%, coal ~8%, solar/hydro) |
| Local peak demand | 4,200 MW | Georgia Power |
| Modeled rate impact | 7% to 15% | See methodology |
Where this water is consumed: Vogtle nuclear and Plant Bowen are in or adjacent to the Chattahoochee basin — meaningful Scope 2 water consumption locally.
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
Atlanta. Lake Lanier supply contested (ACT/ACF basin water wars with AL/FL). GA DC tax exemption since 2019.
- Hyperscale activity
- Contested water rights
Sources: Water: City of Atlanta DWM. Grid: Georgia Power.
Comparative siting scores for this county, alongside every other county tracked, are on the US Siting Matrix.
Related counties
| County | Water source | Watershed stress |
|---|---|---|
| Gwinnett County, GA | Lake Lanier (Chattahoochee) | High (3.8/5) |
| DeKalb County, GA | Chattahoochee + reservoirs | High (3.8/5) |
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.