WaterMark / Jurisdictions / Polk County, IA (Des Moines)
Polk County, IA (Des Moines): Data Center Water Impact
Reference data for evaluating a data center proposal in Polk County, IA (Des Moines). 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 | Des Moines Water Works | Utility of record |
| Supply source | Des Moines + Raccoon Rivers | Utility of record |
| Treatment capacity | 95 MGD | Water stress: WRI Aqueduct 4.0, HUC-8 07100009. Note: Raccoon River nitrate context. |
| Water rate | $5.00 / 1,000 gal | Des Moines Water Works published rate schedule |
| Watershed stress | Low-Medium (2 / 5) | Water stress: WRI Aqueduct 4.0, HUC-8 07100009. Note: Raccoon River nitrate context. |
Watershed consumptive use
Basin: Lower Des Moines (HUC-8 07100009). 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 | 56.6% |
| Thermoelectric power | 18 | 20.4% |
| Industrial | 8 | 9.1% |
| Irrigation | 6 | 6.8% |
| Mining | 0.3 | 0.3% |
| Existing data centers | 6 | 6.8% |
| Total | 88.3 | 100.0% |
Total is the sum of the categories listed above. Shares are each category divided by that total. Source: USGS Water Use 2020, Polk County. Existing DC: Microsoft + Apple campuses.
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 Central | MISO |
| Electric utility | MidAmerican Energy | Utility of record |
| Grid water intensity | 0.3 gal / kWh | Macknick et al. 2012 × MISO + IA wind-heavy mix (~25% wind statewide) |
| Local peak demand | 1,500 MW | MISO |
| Modeled rate impact | 5% to 12% | See methodology |
Where this water is consumed: MISO + MidAmerican generation includes some in-state thermo; significant share is wind (zero water).
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
Des Moines. Microsoft + Apple campuses. Iowa wind heavy in MISO. State DC sales-tax exemption (HF 230).
- Hyperscale activity
- Renewable-heavy grid
Sources: Water: Des Moines Water Works. Grid: MISO + MidAmerican Energy. IA Code §423.3(95).
Comparative siting scores for this county, alongside every other county tracked, are on the US Siting Matrix.
Related counties
| County | Water source | Watershed stress |
|---|---|---|
| Pottawattamie County, IA (Council Bluffs) | Missouri River + alluvial aquifer | Low (1.8/5) |
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.