AI Datacenters Target Drought‑Hit US Sites
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- Cleanview and the federal government data show that 517 of 809 planned AI datacenters (about two‑thirds) are slated for locations that have been in drought conditions over the past year.
- Google and other tech giants such as Meta, Microsoft and Amazon are investing billions in new datacenter projects, drawn to arid, sparsely populated sites for cheaper land and tax incentives despite high water‑cooling needs.
- Texas researchers estimate that the state’s new datacenters could consume 9 % of total water use by 2040, with major facilities planned in drought‑hit Pecos and Carson counties.
- Meta’s proposed Hyperion datacenter in Louisiana will employ closed‑loop cooling but will also rely on ten gas‑fired power plants, which consume large water volumes and emit greenhouse gases.
- California lawmakers, along with peers in Michigan, Iowa, South Carolina, Kansas and New York, are drafting or have introduced bills to require regular water‑use reporting or mandate closed‑loop cooling for future datacenter construction.
- Kevin O’Leary is backing the Stratos datacenter project in Utah, which opponents say could threaten the Great Salt Lake and is facing a public referendum effort.
Why it matters: Farmers, ranchers and residents risk losing water access as AI datacenters, driven by tech giants, will increase demand to 73 bn gallons annually, while the industry claims its share is small relative to agriculture and power generation, prompting legislative pushback and public opposition.
