WaterMark / Jurisdictions / Hermantown, MN (Duluth)
Hermantown, MN (Duluth): Data Center Water Impact
Reference data for evaluating a data center proposal in Hermantown, MN (Duluth). 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 | Hermantown Public Utilities | Utility of record |
| Supply source | St. Louis River watershed / Groundwater | Utility of record |
| Treatment capacity | 4.2 MGD | Water stress: WRI Aqueduct 4.0, HUC-8 basin 04010201. Utility data: City of Hermantown 2024 budget. |
| Water rate | $5.40 / 1,000 gal | Hermantown Public Utilities published rate schedule |
| Watershed stress | Low (1.2 / 5) | Water stress: WRI Aqueduct 4.0, HUC-8 basin 04010201. Utility data: City of Hermantown 2024 budget. |
Watershed consumptive use
Basin: St. Louis River (HUC-8 04010201). 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 | 1.5 | 4.1% |
| Thermoelectric power | 12 | 32.6% |
| Industrial | 8 | 21.7% |
| Irrigation | 0.3 | 0.8% |
| Mining | 15 | 40.8% |
| Existing data centers | 0 | 0.0% |
| Total | 36.8 | 100.0% |
Total is the sum of the categories listed above. Shares are each category divided by that total. Source: USGS Water Use 2020, St. Louis County. Mining: MN DNR Iron Range 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 | MISO North | MISO |
| Electric utility | Minnesota Power | Utility of record |
| Grid water intensity | 0.37 gal / kWh | Macknick et al. 2012 consumption factors, weighted by MN generation mix (EIA) |
| Local peak demand | 350 MW | MISO |
| Modeled rate impact | 18% to 35% | See methodology |
Where this water is consumed: MISO North generation in this region is partly local (Boswell, Sherco) and partly imported. A meaningful share of Scope 2 water is consumed within or adjacent to the St. Louis River basin.
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
Hermantown / Duluth. Lake Superior abundance. MN DNR sensitive on wetlands and Iron Range water. Cool climate excellent for free cooling.
- Cool climate
Sources: Water: Hermantown PU + MN DNR. Grid: MISO N (Minnesota Power).
Comparative siting scores for this county, alongside every other county tracked, are on the US Siting Matrix.
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.