LEWISTOWN — Large-scale data centers could consume more water each day than the Mifflin County Municipal Authority currently produces and require enough electricity to power a small city, according to a guidance document released Thursday by the Mifflin County Planning and Development Department.

The report was prepared to help municipalities evaluate future data center proposals and outlines recommended standards for water usage, energy infrastructure, noise, lighting and emergency planning.

The 16-page “Data Center Planning and Guidance Document” was discussed during a Mifflin County Planning Commission meeting Thursday that drew dozens of residents concerned about a potential data center project in Granville Township.

The document was developed in response to concerns surrounding the presumed project and is intended to serve as an informational resource for local officials and residents, county planners said. Officials stressed the guide is not intended to support or oppose data center development, but rather explain how the facilities operate, identify potential impacts and outline regulatory tools available to municipalities.

County officials have repeatedly stated that no formal land development plan for a data center has been submitted to the county for review. However, public discussion of a potential project has largely unfolded on social media, where residents have raised concerns about water consumption, electrical infrastructure, environmental impacts and transparency. Some residents have also organized a petition opposing the potential development.

Planning officials also emphasized during Thursday’s meeting that the county planning commission would not decide whether a future data center project is approved. Instead, officials said zoning and land-use decisions would be made at the municipal level and urged residents to participate in local township meetings if a proposal is formally submitted.

Among the most significant concerns identified in the report are water consumption and electricity demand.

According to the document, some large “hyperscale” data centers associated with artificial intelligence and cloud computing can consume energy comparable to that of a small city while using between 10,000 gallons and more than 5 million gallons of water per day, depending on facility size and cooling systems.

The report notes the Mifflin County Municipal Authority currently produces an average of about 2.8 million gallons of water per day and may not have the capacity to supply more than 3 million gallons daily to a single customer while maintaining adequate reserve capacity.

Planning officials also warned that large-scale data centers are among the most energy-intensive land uses and may require new substations, high-voltage transmission infrastructure or on-site power generation systems to maintain continuous operations.

Potential on-site power sources identified in the report include diesel generators, natural gas systems, hydrogen fuel cells and small modular nuclear reactors if existing utility infrastructure cannot meet demand.

In addition to water and electricity usage, the document highlights concerns related to wastewater generation, construction traffic, noise from cooling equipment and backup generators, lighting impacts and air quality. The report recommends municipalities consider requiring noise studies, lighting controls and other mitigation measures to reduce impacts on neighboring properties.

County planners also cited concerns about fine particulate air pollution associated with energy generation and backup power systems, noting potential public health effects are often overlooked during infrastructure planning discussions.

The document explains that Pennsylvania law generally does not allow municipalities to completely prohibit data centers through zoning regulations. However, local governments can regulate where facilities are located and establish development standards. The report recommends that municipalities require conditional-use or special-exception approval processes rather than allowing data centers as a permitted use by right.

The guidance document also notes that nondisclosure agreements sometimes associated with development discussions can create tension with public expectations for transparency and public participation.

The report states that the Mifflin County Planning and Development Department has drafted proposed amendments to the county’s subdivision and land development ordinance addressing future data center projects.