This is concerning. I understand that there is technology where the water can be “recycled” after use for cooling but not all facilities being built utilize that technology.
Some states and/or cities are requiring the data centers build their own infrastructures as far as electricity etc is concerned to avoid putting greater stress on older systems or increasing the utilities of their cities.
And there are stories out there saying China is using a psy-op (psychological operation) against data centers so that they get ahead of the US in technology!
It’s hard to find the truth in an AI world!
But 2700 reports have been submitted in a country with 50 states. Just mathing it out? That’s 54 data centers per state if all were to be built! (And all was equal) That’s a lot of land, water and resources.
This From Quarks to Quasars
An investigation into Erin Brockovich's AI data center map found many new facilities are being built in drought-hit regions.
The environmental activist, best known for helping expose a major groundwater contamination scandal in California, recently launched a public database that allows people to report concerns linked to nearby AI data centers, including water use, electricity demand, noise pollution, environmental impacts, and strain on local infrastructure.
More than 2,700 reports have already been submitted.
Now, a Newsweek investigation has uncovered a troubling pattern.
Using Brockovich's database, Newsweek mapped more than 50 data centers currently under construction against U.S. drought data.
The results showed many new facilities are being built in parts of the country already struggling with water shortages.
The findings come as the United States experiences its driest start to a year since 1910. More than 60 percent of the country is currently facing drought conditions.
At the same time, AI companies are racing to build the infrastructure needed to train and run increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems.
Data centers are the physical backbone of AI. Every chatbot response, AI-generated image, and video model relies on vast networks of computers operating around the clock inside these facilities.
Keeping those computers cool requires enormous amounts of water.
According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, a single large data center can use up to 5 million gallons of water per day — roughly equivalent to the daily water use of a town with between 10,000 and 50,000 residents.
Researchers estimate that U.S. data centers collectively consume nearly 450 million gallons of water every day.
Newsweek found multiple projects under construction in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia, including several located in areas experiencing severe to extreme drought.
Experts warn that higher temperatures increase cooling requirements, creating greater demand for both water and electricity.
As AI infrastructure expands, some researchers fear that data centers could place additional strain on communities already facing water shortages, heat stress, and aging infrastructure.
Supporters argue that many companies are investing heavily in renewable energy, water recycling systems, and more efficient cooling technologies to reduce their environmental footprint.
Learn more (and take a closer look at the map):
"Map Shows Where Data Centers Are Being Built in Drought-Hit Areas." Newsweek
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