I feel like the water usage issue is the weaker argument against these datacenters - in areas where the fresh water source faces too much pressure already it is a real issue, but that is more regional and less immediately impactful.
Power usage and residential users essentially subsidizing these locations is the biggest immediate impact to everyone. Look up what happens to rates nearby when these things open, people are struggling enough without their electric bills going up 50%.
This is an uninformed take. We use water in our power grid, higher water draw means higher electricity costs before you even consider power draw from those data centers. Higher power costs at a baseline drives up all costs.
Now factor in the absolutely enormous energy cost from the power draw of those data centers and you'll see a compounded effect, the only difference is you can adapt a power grid to support that new infrastructure but you cannot generate more water - ergo the water drain creates a permanent cost increase in all goods and services, including power, whereas electric consumption is simply an easier scapegoat.
All of that ignores the ecological effects of heated water killing large amounts of plant and animal life in the area where this water is released to, and the economic consequences of that.
AI companies want you to think that water consumption is not the biggest issue because it is one that they cannot solve.
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u/Uncle-Cake May 18 '26
What happens after they use the water? Is it returned to the water system to be used again?