The Nodaway County Rural Water District pushed back on calls to deny water service to the proposed data center south of Maryville. Board President Dean Adwell, other board members, attorney Nick Robb, and water operator Ed Waldeier all provided more answers to the people than they had at the June meeting about what they can and can’t do, but the answers did not please most of the people present.
Mr. Adwell explained that the Rural Water District is a public utility and not a business and can’t deny service to whoever it wants. “We can’t discriminate against anyone,” he said. What they can do, he said, is determine how much water they can feasibly provide and tell the data center that this is all they are going to get. This was the reason for the recent feasibility study, the draft of which was recently released to the public. Another thing the Rural Water District can do in the event of a drought or a water shortage is ensure that residential customers are the last customers to be turned off. Mr. Robb said that whether a data center locates in the area is up to the city, county, and state. One board member said he had been on the board for over 30 years and that they had never denied anyone service, except for non-payment.
Wayne Beatty said that this was a national security issue. “If we go to war, what do you think people are going to target,” he asked. “We don’t need that around here.” The US is currently fighting an intermittent war against Iran. Russia and Ukraine are currently fighting a full-scale war and are targeting each other’s infrastructure.
Mr. Adwell said that the water the district had was finite. “We’re always looking for more water,” he said. Brock Pfost said they had been having discussions with other water districts for years about getting more water.
While the District is in good shape financially now, Mr. Pfost said that there would be pressures on them in the future with Maryville raising its water rates by 50% as of January 2027 and 50% more on January 2028. “We’re going to pay like everyone else,” he said. He said that would result in $500,000 in increased costs for the district next year.
The answers did not satisfy most of the 50+ people present, many of whom repeated calls for a town hall with the Rural Water District, Nodaway County Commission, Maryville City Council, and Economic Developer so that everybody could be on the same page as to what people can and can’t do. “We’ve been left out in the dark,” said Jennifer Gillespie.
“There’s going to be air pollution and cancer, and you will be responsible,” said Ms. Gillespie. “And it’s just getting started. They’ll spread to Gentry County, Worth County, Atchison County. People are already being approached. They are coming for all of us.” The ultimate goal, said Ms. Gillespie, is a world in which AI takes everyone’s jobs.
Rob Duvall talked about a situation in Wyoming in which a data center got bacteria in its water supply, and it spread to the treatment center that it was getting its water from, shutting down the treatment plant for three months. “And don’t forget heat islands; it gets five to 15 degrees hotter near these places,” said Ms. Gillespie. Monday’s high temperature was 97 degrees, which could turn into 112 degrees if the worst-case scenario turns out to be true. That is hotter than the record temperature for the area, which was 110 in 1980 and 110 in the drought year of 1936.
Mr. Robb said that the project, if it is built, would be done without cost to the water district as the data center would build its own infrastructure like any other new customer. He said he shared a lot of the concerns people raised, but that if people want the project stopped, “Talk to Congress or your elected officials.” He said that the situation was beyond the board’s control. “We have to supply them with the water if it’s available,” he said.
Many people were skeptical of a water usage agreement between the proposed data center and the district. But Mr. Adwell said, “They’re only going to get so much. If they come back to us later and want more water, they’re not getting it.” “But then they will dig up water from the ground,” said Ms. Gillespie. Many people in the area of the proposed data center have well water and are not hooked up to the district. The fear is that digging up water from the ground would mean they run out of water.
“People tell me all the time to go talk to other people,” said Ms. Gillespie. “I’ve already talked to everyone. Think of all the crop production being lost.”
Mr. Beatty said the data center was looking for more and more land and that they would not stop if they got the current proposed project off the ground. He said people near Bedison were getting offers and someone else had been looking at 500 acres of land. “And they’re all real estate agents. They don’t tell you who they are working for,” said Mr. Beatty, noting that one landowner had backed out after they didn't get straight answers about why they wanted the land.
The Rural Water District is currently serving 2,828 customers. Water usage is high due to recent rains and washouts. Repair expenses are expected to rise.
The project hooking up some new rural Sheridan customers is nearing completion, with $204,000 of the budgeted $250,000 having been spent.
The district got the audit back from the auditor; it will be approved at the next meeting.
Future meetings will focus on rate increases due to the City of Maryville raising its water rates.
The board went into closed session to discuss legal matters under Section 610.021 (1).
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