Westport could follow other Commonwealth towns in the banning of data centers, the power-hungry high tech storage facilities that gobble up enormous amounts of electricity and water, if voters approve a measure being considered for next year’s Town Meeting.

Data centers have become a huge issue nationwide with the rise of artificial intelligence, which requires vast computer storage space and enormous amounts of power and water to keep it operational and cool.

Though the Trump administration has touted the facilities as crucial to the nation’s interests and security, opponents, including officials in a growing number of Massachusetts towns, say their vast appetite for electricity and water is harmful to grid customers, the environment, property values and communities.

Earlier this year, Mansfield became the latest in a series of Massachusetts towns to centers over a certain size, and Westport Town Planner Michael Burris based a draft version of Westport’s potential ban on that town’s solution.

If passed as written, Westport would ban any data center that requires more than 2 megawatts of power to operate. Those under that threshold include IT facilities, schools, hospitals and other smaller operations and would not be affected by the ban.

While Westport is probably not the most desirable place for a data center due to its lack of water and sewer infrastructure, Burris said he felt it was a good idea to propose a ban here and get it on the books, if people want it.

“It’s a preventative measure,” he said. “If the community really does not desire this type of development, then there’s no harm in taking it up at Town Meeting.”

Members of the planning board, who will review the proposed bylaw change along with others being prepared for next year’s town meeting, predicted the ban would receive wide support here.

“This would pass with three quarters of the people at town meeting,” John Bullard said. “We just need to write it the correct way (and) then after about 10 towns do their own law, the state’s going to realize that’s crazy — ‘We oughta have a state law on this.’”

“I think [the state will] figure out what people feel about these things and it won’t be to allow them. I think you’re on the right track.”