Reclaiming ponds close to its Iowa information center is an apple.

Apple’s conceptual design for the first of two data centers to be built in Waukee Iowa.
Apple has applied to the City of Waukee, in Iowa, west of Des Moines to return some of the land surrounding its iCloud Data Center back to a freshwater swamp, also known as a “prairie pothole.” In 2017, Apple purchased over 2,000 acres in Iowa with the intention to build a datacenter by 2020. In 2022, the company began building the first of its two planned data centres. Apple has reserved 592 acres for future data centers, storage facilities and water management. Apple is rehabilitating a portion of excess land to create a wetland area with walking paths and public access for a nature trail or park. Apple plans to create a restoration area for wetlands on land that it won’t use for future data centers or related facilities. The affected area will be approximately 220 acres. In 2021, the company committed to spending $430 billion over five years on various development projects across the US. The projects included a North Carolina campus, along with the Iowa data centres and facilities in Texas or California. According to a Waukee City Government report, the project will include repairing field tiles and rerouting them to better manage stormwater from adjacent farm fields. Apple will also be required to install an aqueduct and sanitary sewer across the site. The plan was recommended by the staff of the City Council. Apple will present the project to the city council for formal approval on August 13, 2024. Apple’s plans to expand its data center in Waukee will likely not be met with opposition, but there have been protests over the large water and power requirements of data centers. Apple’s plans to build a datacenter in Athenry, Ireland, sparked public complaints about environmental assurances. A court case is currently underway.