S0724 would add a new section to the South Carolina Code requiring large commercial data centers to file annual water-usage reports with the Department of Environmental Services. The reporting duty applies only to data centers that consume at least three million gallons of water per month and that meet the bill’s definition of a commercial data center, which includes facilities with a peak demand of 100 megawatts or greater. Each covered facility would have to report both the amount of water used in the prior calendar year and its anticipated water use for the current year, with reports due by January 31 each year.
The bill also authorizes the department to audit the reports and the underlying data, provided it gives 30 days’ notice before beginning an audit. If a covered data center files late, the department may impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day after the January 31 deadline. The bill also allows a separate $10,000 penalty for inaccurate, misleading, or false information in a report. The act would take effect upon approval by the Governor.
Impact
If enacted, S0724 would create a new regulatory reporting requirement for a narrow class of high-water-use, high-power-demand data centers in South Carolina. It would not directly cap water use, but it would require annual disclosure of water consumption from surface water, groundwater, or other sources, and would give the Department of Environmental Services audit and enforcement authority. The bill would therefore add a new compliance obligation and potential civil penalties for affected operators, while giving the state a clearer record of large data centers’ water demand and projected usage.
Sentiment
The available context shows no committee transcript, vote record, or recorded debate, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to measure directly. Based on the bill’s structure, the measure appears aimed at transparency and oversight rather than restriction, suggesting a policy approach focused on monitoring large industrial water users. Because no votes or discussion are provided, support or opposition cannot be reliably characterized from the record supplied.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the scope of the reporting mandate and the compliance burden it places on large data center operators. Covered facilities may object to the annual reporting requirement, the department’s audit authority, and the possibility of substantial daily penalties for late filings or incorrect information. On the other hand, supporters would likely emphasize water-resource oversight, especially for facilities with very high electricity demand and significant monthly water consumption. The bill’s threshold definitions and whether they capture only the largest facilities could also be a point of debate.
Similar To
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT THE "SOUTH CAROLINA DATA CENTER RESPONSIBILITY ACT"; AND BY ADDING CHAPTER 81 TO TITLE 39 SO AS TO ENSURE THAT DATA CENTERS OPERATING IN SOUTH CAROLINA DO SO RESPONSIBLY, SUSTAINABLY, AND WITHOUT BURDENING TAXPAYERS.