Data Centers Drain Water Amid US Droughts

Imagine living in a community already struggling with water shortages, only to find out that massive data centers are tapping into the same limited public water supplies, sometimes without proper authorization. This is the reality unfolding in several drought-stricken US communities, sparking frustration and raising serious questions about sustainability in the tech industry.

Water Woes in Georgia and Arizona

Recent reports highlight two concerning incidents. In Fayette County, Georgia, residents experienced declining water pressure, leading to an investigation that uncovered a massive data center campus, ‘Project Excalibur,’ owned by Blackstone and developed by QTS. It turned out the company had consumed over 29 million gallons of water, equivalent to about 44 Olympic-sized swimming pools, through connections that were either unmetered or not properly billed.

While county officials cited an error during a smart meter transition and acknowledged QTS’s economic importance, the sheer volume of water used is staggering. Meanwhile, in Tucson, Arizona, a proposed data center complex, ‘Project Blue,’ faced rejection due to water and energy concerns. Despite this, the developer, Beale Infrastructure, continued construction.

Unauthorized Usage and Dust Suppression

An investigation triggered by a resident’s question revealed that a contractor for Project Blue had allegedly obtained water from Tucson’s service area and transported it outside city limits for dust suppression without authorization. Although Beale claims they followed normal procedures, city officials maintain that authorization was never granted. The company later received a notice of violation for excessive dust and lack of dust control measures.

The Scale of Data Center Water Consumption

These incidents are not isolated. Data centers are massive water consumers, primarily for cooling purposes. In 2023, they consumed an estimated 17.4 billion gallons of water in the US. Projections suggest this could skyrocket to between 38 and 73 billion gallons annually by 2028.

• A typical mid-sized data center uses about 110 million gallons of water yearly, enough for 1,000 households.
• Some larger facilities can use up to 5 million gallons per day.
• In Oregon, Google’s data centers used a quarter of The Dalles’ water supply in 2021.
• Meta has faced accusations of disrupting nearby private wells, though the company denies a connection.

In response to these growing concerns, over 50 American cities have implemented bans or moratoriums on new data center construction, highlighting the national tension surrounding their development and resource consumption.