US Plans 517 of 809 AI Datacenters in Drought Zones as Water Demand Heads for 73 Billion Gallons
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 8
US Plans 517 of 809 AI Datacenters in Drought Zones as Water Demand Heads for 73 Billion Gallons
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 8
Summary
517 of 809 planned US datacenters are slated for areas that stayed in drought throughout the past year, according to a Guardian analysis of Cleanview and federal data.
Those facilities can consume up to 5 million gallons a day each for cooling, helping push annual US datacenter water demand toward 73 billion gallons by 2028 from about 17 billion in 2023.
Developers including Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon are still favoring dry, sparsely populated sites because land is cheaper, tax breaks are generous and arid air is seen as less corrosive to equipment.
The buildout is colliding with a record spring drought covering more than 60% of the contiguous US, while local opposition has already spurred lawsuits, project cuts and proposed state restrictions on water use.
Researchers and UN-backed estimates say the strain extends beyond datacenters themselves, with AI power generation and chipmaking set to deepen water stress as climate change intensifies drought.
Are 'water-saving' AI datacenters just trading a water crisis for an energy and pollution crisis?
Is the AI boom creating a hidden 'forever chemical' crisis alongside its massive thirst for water?
Water, Power, and AI: The Hidden Costs of the Data Center Surge in the United States
Overview
The rapid growth of AI technologies is driving a surge in datacenter construction across the United States, leading to an immediate water crisis in many communities. These new data centers consume vast amounts of electricity and place significant demands on local water resources, raising concerns about environmental sustainability and higher public utility costs. The impact is especially severe in areas not prepared for such increases, as seen with projects like the Stratos facility in Utah, which has drawn criticism for its potential to worsen existing water shortages. This situation highlights the urgent need for better planning and regulation to protect communities and natural resources.