Aurora city council approves data center regulation, tell me about this news in (https://www.9news.com/article/news/politics/aurora-city-council-approves-data-center-regulation/73-fc611142-b10f-4fd7-906c-ce47bde3878a)

The Aurora City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that bans evaporative cooling systems in future commercial, industrial, and multifamily developments, a measure directly aimed at curbing high water consumption from prospective data centers.Key details from the report include:

• Ban on Evaporative Cooling: The new regulation prohibits permits for evaporative cooling systems in new developments. Instead, facilities must rely on water-conserving alternatives, reinforcing existing city guidelines that mandate closed-loop cooling systems.
• Significant Water Savings: According to Marshall Brown, general manager of Aurora Water, evaporative cooling for large data centers can consume millions of gallons of water every day. By contrast, closed-loop systems require an initial fill of a few hundred thousand gallons with minimal ongoing consumption, drastically lowering ongoing water demand.
• Scope: The ordinance applies to future projects and certain developments currently in the planning pipeline; it is not retroactive.
• Background & Community Reaction: The vote follows a decision in August where the council narrowly rejected a proposed six-month moratorium on new data center construction. During public comment, several residents voiced frustration that the city had not enacted a complete moratorium, arguing that data center expansion warrants far tighter restrictions.
• Sponsorship: Councilmember Amy Wiles, who sponsored both the failed moratorium and this new cooling measure, emphasized that Aurora faces serious drought and water-supply challenges, necessitating stronger stewardship of local water resources.