People of Roanoke

Proposed Data Center in Botetourt County, VA

A large data center proposed for Botetourt County may use between 2 and 8 million gallons of water per day, drawing from the regional water system that includes Carvins Cove, potentially Spring Hollow Reservoir, and wastewater. While the facility is expected to create approximately 50 permanent jobs and generate local tax revenue, the exact water usage has not been publicly confirmed and is currently redacted in public agreements.

The site is located in a pre-zoned industrial park, and the Western Virginia Water Authority has stated it can meet the projected demand. However, the daily natural replenishment rate of the watershed has not been publicly disclosed, raising concerns about long-term sustainability. The broader conversation includes both support for tech-driven regional growth and concern about environmental impact and public transparency.

People of Roanoke is a new initiative created by the public, for the public. Our goal is simple: to gather and organize local opinion in order to collectively share our sentiment with the decision-makers.

All the people of the Roanoke Valley share a right to the freshwater in our regional watershed — and a right to participate in ongoing decisions that affect it. Regardless of where each of us stands on this specific proposal, we should all agree that those decisions deserve to be made transparently and with meaningful public input.

Further Reading