Dear Editor,
Wilmington must begin reviewing its zoning bylaws now with the intention of either temporarily or permanently banning data centers before a proposal is ever placed in front of the town.
Wilmington has an abundance of warehouse space that could make it attractive for data centers of all sizes. While these facilities are often promoted as economic development opportunities, communities across the country are increasingly raising concerns about the environmental, infrastructure, and financial impacts they can bring. Large data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and, depending on the cooling systems used, can place tremendous strain on local water resources.
That concern should be especially important in Wilmington, where contamination issues over the years have taken local wells out of service, increasing the town’s dependence on MWRA water. Before any proposal is ever filed, Wilmington should carefully consider what impact facilities with massive electricity and water demands could have on long term infrastructure costs and resource planning.
These concerns are no longer hypothetical. Lowell recently enacted what has been described as the first data center moratorium in Massachusetts due to concerns raised there included electrical demand, backup generators, cooling infrastructure, and the proximity of these facilities to residential neighborhoods.
Wilmington needs to become forward thinking on this issue now, not after a proposal is filed and the town is left scrambling to react. Careful planning today may prevent serious consequences tomorrow.
Rob Fasulo
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