Part of the facts . Category: Farmland and Water
The Water Question Nobody Has Answered
When you are building something the size of 60 football fields — 3.5 million square feet of data centre — you need water. Lots of it. And right now, the Goldfinch proposal does not have clear answers about where that water will come from or what it will mean for our wells.
Here is what we know: no independent hydrogeological study has been completed for this project. The developer, Diode Ventures, has referenced local wells as a potential water source in their application materials (full application PDF). But without an independent study, there is no way to know what drawing from those wells would mean for neighbouring properties.
Air-Based Cooling: A Claim We Cannot Verify
Diode has stated the facility would use air-based cooling, which uses less water than traditional systems. That is a positive claim — but without an independent review, it is just a claim. The application changes overview shows the proposal has evolved, and water usage assumptions may have shifted between versions. We need to see the latest numbers — verified by someone who works for us, not the developer.
Why This Matters for Every Well Owner
Every resident who depends on a well — and that is most of us in Wheatland County — has reason to pay attention. A hyperscale data centre drawing from the same aquifer as neighbouring farms and homes could affect water levels, quality, or both. For livestock operations, equine facilities, and irrigation-based agriculture, there is no margin for error.
At the July 7 hearing, Heidi Pradt of Infinity Equine captured the concern perfectly:
I do not think the applicant has demonstrated enough technical expertise — on groundwater impact, environmental impact, noise impact, impact to livestock — for this application to proceed.
The Bigger Picture: Alberta Water under Pressure
This project is not happening in isolation. Alberta is seeing a wave of massive data centre proposals — Meta’s $13B facility in Sturgeon County, the $10B Wild Rose Power Hub in Langdon, the $4B Beacon project in Chestermere. All of them need power, and all of them need water. Our provincial government is actively pushing an AI Data Centre Strategy. The cumulative impact on our water resources deserves serious, independent study — not just developer-supplied assurances.
What You Can Do
Council needs to hear that independent hydrogeological studies are non-negotiable before this project moves forward. Contact your councillor and let them know. Share this with your neighbours — especially anyone on a well. The more of us who speak up, the harder it is to ignore.