Datacenter Water Use? California Governor Says Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation requiring data centers to disclose their water consumption, even as he champions efforts to address the state’s water scarcity challenges.

Assembly Bill 93 would have mandated that data center operators provide water suppliers with estimates of expected usage before obtaining business licenses, followed by annual reports of actual consumption when renewing permits. However, in an October 11 letter to the California State Assembly, Newsom declined to sign the bill.