Source: Fortune
Summary
Data centers in Arizona and Georgia have been caught taking public water without authorization, sparking concerns about water usage in areas already experiencing water stress. In Georgia, a data center developed by Quality Technology Services (QTS) consumed 29 million gallons of water without permission, while in Arizona, a data center project linked to Amazon used 650,000 gallons of water for dust control without authorization. The incidents highlight the growing conflict over data center water use across the country, with more than 50 cities enacting bans or moratoria on new data center construction. The EPA projects that U.S. data centers will consume between 38 and 73 billion gallons of water by 2028.
Our Reading
The numbers tell one story.
QTS’s 29 million gallons of unauthorized water usage in Georgia is just a fraction of the 6.1 billion gallons Google reported using across all its data centers globally in 2024. Meanwhile, Amazon’s Project Blue data center in Arizona used 650,000 gallons of water for dust control without permission. The incidents highlight the growing water usage of data centers, with the EPA projecting that U.S. data centers will consume between 38 and 73 billion gallons of water by 2028. As cities struggle to manage their water resources, the conflict over data center water use is likely to escalate.
It’s a familiar pattern: big companies, big water usage, and a lack of transparency.
Author: Evan Null
