Thu, 10 Jul 2025

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 'I can't drink the water' - life next to a US data centre

Residents in rural Georgia say the data centre next door has disrupted their water supply.

* Beverly Morris, a retiree in Georgia, claims that the construction of a Meta data centre near her home has disrupted her private well, causing sediment buildup and water quality issues.
* The data centre uses a lot of water for cooling, with some facilities using millions of gallons on hot days. One study estimates that AI-driven data centres could consume 1.7 trillion gallons globally by 2027.
* Local residents are concerned about the impact of data centres on their water supply and environment. Some have reported cloudy or brown water after construction began near their homes.
* Tech giants like Amazon Web Services (AWS) claim to be taking steps to reduce water usage and improve sustainability, including investing in projects like leak repairs and rainwater harvesting.
* Data centre development is a growing trend globally, with over 10,000 centres operating worldwide. However, this growth has been met with local activism and concerns about the environmental impact.
* The industry is starting to shift towards sustainability, but it may be too late for some residents who are already experiencing water quality issues due to data centre construction.
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