Demand for water in Great Lakes states is likely to spike from data centers, mining and other uses, and officials should take a more proactive management approach to stave off shortages, according to a new report published by the nonprofit Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Municipalities will need more information about usage, and potentially will need stricter mandates, to ensure that water is used sustainably, said report author Helena Volzer, senior source water policy manager for the Chicago-based organization.

“There’s no state in the region right now that really has the ability to curb or halt groundwater use before an adverse impact occurs,” she said. And it’s hard to even know exactly how much water is being withdrawn because so little is reported, she noted.

Hyper-scale data center

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