Most new US data centers being built on drought-hit land
What's the story
A recent analysis by The Guardian has revealed that most of the new artificial intelligence (AI) data centers in the United States will be constructed on drought-stricken land. The facilities, which require a significant amount of water for their operations, are mostly planned for regions that have been among the driest in the country over the past year.
Drought
Two-thirds of proposed facilities in drought-affected areas
Of the 809 planned data centers, 517 are in regions that have been under drought for the past year, according to Cleanview and federal government data. This is nearly two-thirds of all proposed facilities. Existing data centers also show a similar trend, being located in drought-affected areas. Currently, over 60% of the contiguous US is experiencing varying levels of drought, the largest such area in modern records.
Water demand
Data centers worsening water scarcity
The climate crisis, driven by fossil fuel emissions, is making droughts in the US longer and more severe. But the rapid expansion of new data centers is putting even more strain on water resources with their high energy and water needs. Large data centers can consume up to five million gallons of water a day for cooling systems that keep rows of networked computers from overheating.
Rising demand
Data centers' water consumption projected to increase significantly
The growing number of data centers across the US is expected to consume as much as 73 billion gallons of water per year by 2028. Each 100-word AI prompt consumes around one half-liter bottle of water due to cooling requirements of data centers, researchers have estimated. Christopher Dalbom, a Tulane University water resources law expert, said, "The AI industry is sprinting as fast as it can to gain market dominance," leaving other sectors grappling with increased water demand.
Industry impact
Local opposition, concerns over energy use and costs
The AI industry is investing billions of dollars into new data centers, often in dry, sparsely populated areas where land is cheaper and tax breaks are more generous. However, this has raised concerns about water use and rising energy bills. Local opposition has led to some projects being scaled back or scrapped altogether. Despite these concerns, the sector maintains that its current water use is just a fraction of what larger consumers like agriculture already take.