. According to analysis by the Guardian, two-thirds of planned datacentres in the US are in drought-stricken areas. The larger centres need up to 5m gallons of water a day for cooling, equivalent to the average usage of 50,000 people. It is unclear what the plan is and whose needs will take priority between AI, agriculture and everyone else.
“People are reporting bill spikes,” [Erin]Brockovich says, reading an email from someone who says their monthly water bill went from $22 (£17) to more than $350 (£265). The threat of these centres is about more than money – it feels existential. “How will the water use disrupt the balance of nature? People are asking: “What will happen to us?”
Water isn’t lost per say, but overusing a water source will deplete it, altering the environment around with no way of knowing how severe the effects will be.
Also, the rejected water can be contaminated (especially with the US relaxing the environment laws)
Energy use is also an issue, but the impact is a lot less severe than water use.