A proposal to build a large data center at 500 East Reeceville Road in East Brandywine Township has put a spotlight on a question facing communities across our region: are data centers good neighbors?
The Case for Data Centers
Data centers are the backbone of modern life — from streaming video to powering the AI tools millions of people use every day. They represent significant capital investment, create construction jobs, and contribute to the local tax base. When sited thoughtfully, they can coexist with surrounding communities.
The Concerns Are Real
But residents in East Brandywine and neighboring townships have raised serious questions that deserve answers. The biggest: water. Modern data centers use millions of gallons of water daily for cooling — and this proposed site sits within the Southeastern Pennsylvania Groundwater Protected Area (SEPA-GWPA), a region already under scrutiny by the Delaware River Basin Commission for water stress.
Equally concerning is what goes into that cooling water. Biocides and corrosion inhibitors used in cooling towers are known endocrine disruptors. When water is “blown down” to remove mineral buildup, those chemicals enter local waterways — a real risk near Marsh Creek State Park, one of Chester County’s most treasured natural spaces.
What Residents Are Asking For
Community members aren’t saying no to data centers outright. They’re saying: site them right. Chester County has no shortage of brownfield opportunities — the former Coatesville Steel District (100+ acres), the Phoenixville Phoenix Steel site (125 acres), and former industrial campuses in East Whiteland and Parkesburg. These are locations where infrastructure already exists and environmental impact would be far lower.
The ask is straightforward: conditional-use zoning rather than by-right approval, full water and energy disclosure, and decommissioning security so communities aren’t left holding the bag when a facility closes.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t a fight against progress. It’s a fight for the right kind of progress — in the right places, with the right protections. Chester County Democrats believe residents deserve a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their water, their land, and their quality of life.
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