Wastewater: The Unanswered Questions
A “closed-loop” cooling system does not mean there will never be wastewater.
A large data center may still produce wastewater from loop maintenance, flushing, cleaning, leaks, treatment reject streams, or emergency drain-down events.
Where Could the Wastewater Go?
The City of Hickory’s annual wastewater report states that the Henry Fork Wastewater Treatment Facility accepts and treats wastewater from Hildebran, along with portions of Hickory and nearby service areas.
The facility has a permitted treatment capacity of 9 million gallons per day.
That service-area information does not establish that wastewater from the proposed data center would necessarily be sent there. The developer and the responsible utility authorities should publicly identify the proposed connection, receiving treatment facility, discharge characteristics, and required permits.
View Hickory’s Annual Wastewater Quality Report
What Is Confirmed About Project Permitting?
Local reporting stated that Digi Power X had not filed permits for the Hildebran project as of June 25, 2026.
Read the June 25, 2026 WSOC-TV report
The available reporting does not establish whether the developer has:
- Contacted the City of Hickory about water or wastewater service
- Requested a utility-capacity evaluation
- Submitted an industrial pretreatment application
- Supplied a chemical inventory to a receiving utility
- Discussed possible discharge limits or monitoring requirements
Those questions should be answered through official correspondence, utility records, permit applications, and public-record requests.
Why This Matters Before Local Approval
Wastewater planning may involve authorities outside the Town of Hildebran.
Local officials should therefore obtain written confirmation of the proposed wastewater pathway, available treatment capacity, chemical compatibility, applicable permits, monitoring requirements, and financial responsibility before approving the project.
What should Hildebran require before approval?
At minimum, the developer should provide written confirmation from the receiving wastewater authority that:
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The treatment facility has sufficient remaining capacity, including hydraulic capacity and treatment capacity for BOD, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other relevant loading.
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The chemical profile of the discharge is compatible with the biological treatment process.
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The facility will be classified appropriately under industrial pretreatment rules if its discharge requires that level of oversight.
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Any required Industrial User Pretreatment Permit is issued and active before wastewater leaves the facility.
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PFAS testing is included in the discharge monitoring plan if fluorinated coolants, PTFE degradation products, or other PFAS sources may be present.
Why chemical compatibility matters
Closed-loop cooling water may contain chemicals designed to inhibit biological activity, corrosion, scaling, or freezing.
Potential discharge constituents could include:
- Biocides
- Corrosion inhibitors
- Nitrites
- Molybdates
- Orthophosphates
- Glycol
- PFAS-containing compounds, if fluorinated coolants or materials are used
Municipal wastewater treatment depends on biological processes. A large slug discharge of chemicals designed to kill or suppress microorganisms could interfere with treatment operations.
Questions That Need Answers
- Who will receive the wastewater?
- Has the developer submitted a wastewater plan?
- Has a chemical inventory been provided?
- Has the receiving treatment plant evaluated worst-case discharge scenarios?
- Could a complete loop drain-down event be accepted safely?
- Will the facility require an Industrial User Pretreatment Permit?
- Will PFAS testing be required?
- What discharge limits will apply?
- Who pays for monitoring, treatment upgrades, or cleanup if something goes wrong?
The Core Demand
Before approval, Hildebran should require a complete, independent accounting of:
- What wastewater will be generated
- Where it will go
- What chemicals may be present
- Whether the receiving treatment system can handle it
- What permits are required
- Who is financially responsible for failures, contamination, or treatment impacts
Without those answers, the town is being asked to approve a project whose wastewater implications remain unresolved.