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UK’s largest proposed datacentre ‘understating planned water use’

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Friday, December 19, 2025

The UK’s largest proposed datacentre is understating the scale of its planned water use, according to an analysis.The first phase of construction for the hyperscale campus in Cambois in Northumberland has been given the go-ahead by the local council. The US operator QTS, which is developing the site, has promoted its “water-free” cooling system as proof of its sustainability.But research published this week calls that claim into question. A study of the power and water footprints of AI production by the data scientist Alex de Vries-Gao highlights the underestimated scale of indirect, or embedded, water consumption caused by datacentre operations.QTS estimates the two initial data halls will consume 2.3m litres of water annually, according to documents it submitted to Northumberland county council. Yet applying De Vries-Gao’s methodology to the electricity generation required for the site’s AI servers produces a figure more than 50 times higher, at 124m litres a year, according to analysis by Watershed Investigations and the Guardian.When all the 10 planned halls are operational, the Cambois campus could indirectly consume about 621m litres annually – equivalent to the average yearly use of more than 11,000 people.The company uses a closed-loop system, which typically reuses the same water repeatedly for cooling, but uses more energy to chill the machines. QTS says there will be no pressure on water supply for people in the north-east fromits direct datacentre operations.In a statement, QTS said: “Our power is typically carbon neutral and comes from a range of sources including wind, hydro, nuclear, tidal, etc. QTS does not control the quantity of any water utilised in the power generation process.”But according to De Vries-Gao, datacentre operators must acknowledge the water footprint linked to their massive energy demands, in the same way that power-intensive industries are held accountable for the carbon emissions generated by their electricity consumption.De Vries-Gao said: “The datacentre operator will be responsible for creating the power demand which leads to the consumption of this water. For the same reason, the greenhouse gas protocol already mandates disclosure of indirect emissions related to electricity consumption.”Another potentially understated problem is the air pollution from the datacentre from increased power generation and potential greater use of diesel generators than stated.In the US, researchers and environmental groups have sounded the alarm about worsening air quality as a result of growing emissions of fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from the power plants and backup generators datacentres rely on. Increased emissions are a result of surging power demand to produce AI systems, according to a recent study. According to Shaolei Ren of the University of California, one of the study’s authors, the evidence connecting datacentre growth to harmful health outcomes from air pollution is already “very strong”.“What is missing is awareness and precise quantitative accounting. The critical gap is that we still do not know, in a transparent and systematic way, how much criteria air pollution data centres actually contribute at the local and regional levels,” Ren said.Common pollutants include ozone, fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead, which damage human health and the wider environment.This pollution is not only the result of electricity generation from the grid. A proportion often comes from highly-polluting diesel generators, installed to ensure the nearly constant “uptime” demanded by the datacentre and AI industry.Once complete, the Cambois campus will rely on nearly 600 diesel generators for “backup” power – up to 58 per data hall. QTS estimates that regular testing of the system would mean running each generator for five hours a year.The generators have been designated as a backup power system to be used in emergencies if the grid fails. But in Virginia’s “datacentre alley”, a hub where QTS has a datacentre, regulators are considering expanding diesel generator use for planned outages, while environmentalists have warned of pressure to permit generators during grid stress.Julie Bolthouse from the Piedmont Environmental Council, a conservation organisation, said: “They are incrementally increasing under what circumstances they can run and de facto how frequently and how long they can run the thousands of generators we have permitted here in Virginia. Once the generators are in place it is only a matter of time before they use them.”The potential impact of this scenario playing out in Cambois could have negative effects on the local community’s health. Cambois primary school’s playground has been identified by QTS as directly affected by emissions from the generators.In a statement, QTS said: “Generators can occasionally be utilised on a temporary basis to bridge power needs while permanent connections are finalised, but the primary use of generators is for emergency backup purposes.“Diesel generators are not the main source of power for our datacentres. Generators are tested once a month for a short period of time for routine maintenance. Each data centre has a publicly available emissions limit and our normal operations are designed to stay well within those requirements. In the highly unlikely event of a complete grid outage in the UK, backup generators would run only for the duration of such grid outage and at reduced power. Regarding Virginia, QTS has zero control over our competitors.”

Analysis suggests consumption at Northumberland site could be 50 times higher than US operator QTS estimatesThe UK’s largest proposed datacentre is understating the scale of its planned water use, according to an analysis.The first phase of construction for the hyperscale campus in Cambois in Northumberland has been given the go-ahead by the local council. The US operator QTS, which is developing the site, has promoted its “water-free” cooling system as proof of its sustainability. Continue reading...

The UK’s largest proposed datacentre is understating the scale of its planned water use, according to an analysis.

The first phase of construction for the hyperscale campus in Cambois in Northumberland has been given the go-ahead by the local council. The US operator QTS, which is developing the site, has promoted its “water-free” cooling system as proof of its sustainability.

But research published this week calls that claim into question. A study of the power and water footprints of AI production by the data scientist Alex de Vries-Gao highlights the underestimated scale of indirect, or embedded, water consumption caused by datacentre operations.

QTS estimates the two initial data halls will consume 2.3m litres of water annually, according to documents it submitted to Northumberland county council. Yet applying De Vries-Gao’s methodology to the electricity generation required for the site’s AI servers produces a figure more than 50 times higher, at 124m litres a year, according to analysis by Watershed Investigations and the Guardian.

When all the 10 planned halls are operational, the Cambois campus could indirectly consume about 621m litres annually – equivalent to the average yearly use of more than 11,000 people.

The company uses a closed-loop system, which typically reuses the same water repeatedly for cooling, but uses more energy to chill the machines. QTS says there will be no pressure on water supply for people in the north-east fromits direct datacentre operations.

In a statement, QTS said: “Our power is typically carbon neutral and comes from a range of sources including wind, hydro, nuclear, tidal, etc. QTS does not control the quantity of any water utilised in the power generation process.”

But according to De Vries-Gao, datacentre operators must acknowledge the water footprint linked to their massive energy demands, in the same way that power-intensive industries are held accountable for the carbon emissions generated by their electricity consumption.

De Vries-Gao said: “The datacentre operator will be responsible for creating the power demand which leads to the consumption of this water. For the same reason, the greenhouse gas protocol already mandates disclosure of indirect emissions related to electricity consumption.”

Another potentially understated problem is the air pollution from the datacentre from increased power generation and potential greater use of diesel generators than stated.

In the US, researchers and environmental groups have sounded the alarm about worsening air quality as a result of growing emissions of fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from the power plants and backup generators datacentres rely on. Increased emissions are a result of surging power demand to produce AI systems, according to a recent study. According to Shaolei Ren of the University of California, one of the study’s authors, the evidence connecting datacentre growth to harmful health outcomes from air pollution is already “very strong”.

“What is missing is awareness and precise quantitative accounting. The critical gap is that we still do not know, in a transparent and systematic way, how much criteria air pollution data centres actually contribute at the local and regional levels,” Ren said.

Common pollutants include ozone, fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead, which damage human health and the wider environment.

This pollution is not only the result of electricity generation from the grid. A proportion often comes from highly-polluting diesel generators, installed to ensure the nearly constant “uptime” demanded by the datacentre and AI industry.

Once complete, the Cambois campus will rely on nearly 600 diesel generators for “backup” power – up to 58 per data hall. QTS estimates that regular testing of the system would mean running each generator for five hours a year.

The generators have been designated as a backup power system to be used in emergencies if the grid fails. But in Virginia’s “datacentre alley”, a hub where QTS has a datacentre, regulators are considering expanding diesel generator use for planned outages, while environmentalists have warned of pressure to permit generators during grid stress.

Julie Bolthouse from the Piedmont Environmental Council, a conservation organisation, said: “They are incrementally increasing under what circumstances they can run and de facto how frequently and how long they can run the thousands of generators we have permitted here in Virginia. Once the generators are in place it is only a matter of time before they use them.”

The potential impact of this scenario playing out in Cambois could have negative effects on the local community’s health. Cambois primary school’s playground has been identified by QTS as directly affected by emissions from the generators.

In a statement, QTS said: “Generators can occasionally be utilised on a temporary basis to bridge power needs while permanent connections are finalised, but the primary use of generators is for emergency backup purposes.

“Diesel generators are not the main source of power for our datacentres. Generators are tested once a month for a short period of time for routine maintenance. Each data centre has a publicly available emissions limit and our normal operations are designed to stay well within those requirements. In the highly unlikely event of a complete grid outage in the UK, backup generators would run only for the duration of such grid outage and at reduced power. Regarding Virginia, QTS has zero control over our competitors.”

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These giant sea reptiles lived in freshwater rivers, too

Scientists thought mosasaurs - giant sea reptiles - lived in oceans. But the discovery of fossils in North Dakota shows they may also have lived in freshwater. The post These giant sea reptiles lived in freshwater rivers, too first appeared on EarthSky.

Watch Melanie During of Vrije University in the Netherlands talk about mosasaurs in the late Cretaceous. Researchers found a tooth from a mosasaur in North Dakota that dates back 66 million years. The find suggests these giant sea reptiles lived in freshwater as well as oceans. Video via Genuine Rockstars (Dennis Voeten and Melanie During). EarthSky’s 2026 lunar calendar is available now. Get yours today! Makes a great gift. Mosasaurs were the apex predators of the sea during the late Cretaceous, 94 to 66 million years ago. But they also lived in freshwater habitats, such as rivers, according to a new study. Environmental changes during the late Cretaceous may have driven mosasaurs to adapt to freshwater areas in North America’s inland sea. Chemical analysis of a mosasaur tooth reveals a surprise Mosasaurs were giant aquatic reptiles that lived 94 to 66 million years ago. While T. rex was the dominant predator on land, mosasaurs were the apex predators of the sea. But scientists from Uppsala University in the Netherlands said on December 12, 2025, that they have new evidence showing mosasaurs also lived in freshwater, in inland rivers. Their diverse habitats suggest they were adapting to a changing environment. In 2022, researchers found a mosasaur tooth at an unexpected location in North Dakota. They recovered it from ancient river deposits alongside a T. rex tooth and the jawbone of a freshwater crocodile-like (or crocodilian) reptile. Plus, the area was known for its fossilized Edmontosaurus duck-billed dinosaurs. How did a seagoing mosasaur’s tooth end up in a freshwater river? In this new study, scientists found answers in the mosasaur’s tooth enamel. A chemical analysis of certain elements revealed that this mosasaur had, in fact, lived in freshwater, not salt water. The researchers published their study in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Zoology on December 12, 2025. Artist’s concept of a mosasaur in a river, having just caught a crocodilian. In this new study, scientists suggest that late Cretaceous mosasaurs could have lived in freshwater. Image via Christopher DiPiazza/ Uppsala University. These giant sea reptiles were apex water predators Mosasaurs were large swimming reptiles of the late Cretaceous, 94 to 66 million years ago. Scientists have found most of their fossils in marine deposits, therefore associating mosasaurs as sea creatures. Along with most dinosaurs, mosasaurs perished 66 million years ago, during the K-Pg extinction event. That’s when a massive asteroid crashed into our planet, causing the extinction of many species. Scientists think the tooth they studied came from a mosasaur of the genus Prognathodon. These creatures had bulky heads with sturdy jaws and teeth. The tooth was about 1.2 inches (30 mm) long. Therefore, based on what they knew about other, more complete mosasaur fossils, the researchers extrapolated the size of this individual to 36 feet (11 meters) in length. That’s about the size of a bus. Per Ahlberg, of Uppsala University in Sweden, is a paper co-author. He said: The size means that the animal would rival the largest killer whales, making it an extraordinary predator to encounter in riverine environments not previously associated with such giant marine reptiles. On the left, different views of the mosasaur tooth. On the right, an image of the T. rex tooth in the ground. The red rectangle shows the location where the mosasaur tooth was recovered. Image via During, M. A. D., et al./ BMC Zoology (CC BY 4.0). Probing the tooth enamel with isotope analysis For some elements, an atom has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. These different forms of an element are called isotopes. For example, carbon-12, carbon-13 and carbon-14 are three carbon isotopes. They all have six protons. But they also have six, seven and eight neutrons, respectively. The ratio of isotopes for an element can vary depending on the type of environment. In this study, the scientists looked at three elements: oxygen, strontium and carbon. They found there was more oxygen-16 in their mosasaur’s tooth enamel compared to mosasaurs found in marine environments. Therefore, they concluded, this animal lived in freshwater. Strontium isotope ratios also suggested the same. Melanie During of Vrije University in The Netherlands is the paper’s lead author. She said this about carbon isotope ratios they found: Carbon isotopes in teeth generally reflect what the animal ate. Many mosasaurs have low carbon-13 values because they dive deep. The mosasaur tooth found with the T. rex tooth, on the other hand, has a higher carbon-13 value than all known mosasaurs, dinosaurs and crocodiles, suggesting that it did not dive deep and may sometimes have fed on drowned dinosaurs. The isotope signatures indicated that this mosasaur had inhabited this freshwater riverine environment. When we looked at two additional mosasaur teeth found at nearby, slightly older, sites in North Dakota, we saw similar freshwater signatures. These analyses shows that mosasaurs lived in riverine environments in the final million years before going extinct. Melanie During prepares a sample of the mosasaur tooth for strontium isotope analysis. Via Melanie During/ Uppsala University. An ancient sea in North America During the late Cretaceous, an inland sea divided North America, separating the east and west sides of the continent. This sea is known as the Western Interior Seaway. The amount of freshwater entering this sea increased over time. As a result, the seawater gradually transformed from salt water to brackish water, and then to mostly fresh water. The scientists think that this created a halocline. In other words, salt water – which is heavier because of dissolved salts – formed a layer at the bottom of the sea. Meanwhile, the lighter freshwater sat on top of it. These giant sea reptiles might have lived in freshwater Ahlberg commented that their isotope analysis confirms the theory about halocline conditions in the Western Interior Seaway: For comparison with the mosasaur teeth, we also measured fossils from other marine animals and found a clear difference. All gill-breathing animals had isotope signatures linking them to brackish or salty water, while all lung-breathing animals lacked such signatures. This shows that mosasaurs, which needed to come to the surface to breathe, inhabited the upper freshwater layer and not the lower layer where the water was more saline. Late Cretaceous mosasaurs may have adapted to the changing salinity of the inland sea. During said: Unlike the complex adaptation required to move from freshwater to marine habitats, the reverse adaptation is generally simpler. The scientists cited modern examples of these adaptations. For instance, river dolphins live in freshwater but they’re descended from marine ancestors. The saltwater crocodile in Australia is able to move between freshwater rivers and the sea. Bottom line: Scientists used to think that mosasaurs were exclusively sea-dwellers. But new research suggests that North American late Cretaceous mosasaurs might have lived in freshwater. Source: “King of the Riverside”, a multi-proxy approach offers a new perspective on mosasaurs before their extinction Via Uppsala University Read more: Nanotyrannus, a T. rex mini-me, coexisted with the big guysThe post These giant sea reptiles lived in freshwater rivers, too first appeared on EarthSky.

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2025’s AI boom caused huge CO2 emissions and use of water, research finds

Study’s author says society not tech companies paying for environmental impact of AI and asks if this is fairThe AI boom has caused as much carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere in 2025 as emitted by the whole of New York City, it has been claimed.The global environmental impact of the rapidly spreading technology has been estimated in research published on Wednesdaywhich also found that AI-related water use now exceeds the entirety of global bottled-water demand. Continue reading...

The AI boom has caused as much carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere in 2025 as emitted by the whole of New York City, it has been claimed.The global environmental impact of the rapidly spreading technology has been estimated in research published on Wednesdaywhich also found that AI-related water use now exceeds the entirety of global bottled-water demand.The figures have been compiled by the Dutch academic Alex de Vries-Gao, the founder of Digiconomist, a company that researches the unintended consequences of digital trends. He claimed they are the first attempt to measure the specific effect of artificial intelligence rather than datacentres in general as the use of chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini soared in 2025.The figures show the estimated greenhouse gas emissions from AI use are also now equivalent to more than 8% of global aviation emissions. His study used technology companies’ own reporting and he called for stricter requirements for them to be more transparent about their climate impact.“The environmental cost of this is pretty huge in absolute terms,” he said. “At the moment society is paying for these costs, not the tech companies. The question is: is that fair? If they are reaping the benefits of this technology, why should they not be paying some of the costs?”De Vries-Gao found that the 2025 carbon footprint of AI systems could be as high as 80m tonnes, while the water used could reach 765bn litres. He said it was the first time AI’s water impact had been estimated and showed that AI water use alone was more than a third higher than previous estimates of all datacentre water use.The figures are published in the academic journal Patterns. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said earlier this year that AI-focused datacentres draw as much electricity as power-thirsty aluminium smelters and datacentre electricity consumption is expected to more than double by 2030.“This is yet more evidence that the public is footing the environmental bill for some of the richest companies on Earth,” said Donald Campbell, the director of advocacy at Foxglove, a UK non-profit that campaigns for fairness in tech. “Worse, it is likely just the tip of the iceberg. The datacentre construction frenzy, driven by generative AI, is only getting started.“Just one of these new ‘hyperscale’ facilities can generate climate emissions equivalent to several international airports. And in the UK alone, there are an estimated 100-200 of them in the planning system,” said Campbell.The IEA has reported that the largest AI-focused datacentres being built today will each consume as much electricity as 2m households with the US accounting for the largest share of datacentre electricity consumption (45%) followed by China (25%) and Europe (15%).The largest datacentre being planned in the UK, at a former coal power station site in Blyth, Northumberland, is expected to emit more than 180,000 tonnes of CO2 a year when at full operation – the equivalent to the amount produced by more than 24,000 homes.In India, where $30bn (£22.5bn) is being invested in datacentres, there are growing concerns that a lack of reliability from the National Grid will mean the construction of huge diesel generator farms for backup power, which the consultancy KPMG this week called “a massive … carbon liability”.Technology companies’ environmental disclosures are often insufficient to assess even the total datacentre impact, never mind isolating AI use, said De Vries-Gao. He noted that when Google recently reported on the impact of its Gemini AI, it did not account for the water used in generating the electricity needed to power it.Google reported that in 2024 it managed to reduce energy emissions from its datacentres by 12% due to new clean energy sources, but it said this summer that achieving its climate goals was “now more complex and challenging across every level – from local to global” and “a key challenge is the slower-than-needed deployment of carbon-free energy technologies at scale”.Google was approached for comment.

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How the myth of ‘aqua nullius’ still guides Australia’s approach to groundwater

For too long, Indigenous perspectives have not been heard in groundwater science. We must work together to protect Australia’s precious groundwater.

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And it compromises our ability to manage water sustainably as the climate grows warmer and population increases. Most Australians are aware of terra nullius, the legal fiction that Australia belonged to no-one before European settlement. But very few know about aqua nullius, – “water belonging to no-one”. This is a similar fiction suggesting Traditional Owners had no rights to the water they had used for millennia. We show how the legacy of aqua nullius remains embedded within contemporary groundwater science. And urge Australia to take a different approach. Indigenous care of groundwater Indigenous knowledge systems embody many thousands of years of groundwater monitoring. This includes tracking spring behaviour and soil moisture, animal movement and vegetation cues. Australia’s colonial expansion used the water knowledge of Indigenous peoples to support economic and agricultural development. This came at the expense of Indigenous peoples’ water, food, and culture. Bitter Springs in Mataranka, in the Northern Territory. The Traditional Owners are the Mangarayi and Yangman people. Felix Dance/Wikimedia, CC BY Indigenous voices ignored For too long, and too often, Indigenous perspectives on groundwater have not been heard or acted upon. In many instances, Indigenous people bear the impacts of groundwater decline or contamination. And yet, they have limited power to influence the development approvals that create these pressures. For Indigenous communities who have cared for these waters for tens of thousands of years, rapid decision-making over the future of groundwater represents a profound risk to cultural obligations and the living systems that hold songlines, identity, and law. Western scientific approaches are prioritised, while Indigenous groundwater expertise is dismissed and neglected in decision-making. When Indigenous perspectives are considered, there can be backlash from industry. There is often an expectation the government will prioritise economic development. Accelerating pressures from industry and agriculture are superimposed onto the existing inequalities in water access. Many Aboriginal homelands communities still facing water insecurity. Australia’s recent critical minerals agreement with the United States will lead to more water-intensive production and processing and substantial long-term environmental impacts. Mine closure is rare in Australia. Mine rehabilitation often falls short of societal expectations. The legacy of decisions made now is likely to last for thousands of years. And they will disproportionately affect Indigenous communities. Rights vs legal obligations In 2009, Australia endorsed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. But these rights are not reinforced by current approaches to groundwater science and management. Article 25 states Indigenous Peoples have the right to maintain their relationships with traditional lands and waters. Yet over-extraction is leading springs in Australia to dry out. Springs are places of ceremony, law, healing and identity. A dry spring not only has an environmental impact but causes cultural harm, with intergenerational consequences. The UN declaration also says states should obtain consent before any project, including the exploitation of water. Yet in most states and territories there is only a legal obligation to “consult” with Indigenous peoples. Country as a living relative Better outcomes require the colonial settler community to make genuine efforts to understand and incorporate Indigenous perspectives and knowledge in groundwater science and management. The deconstruction of colonial legacies must be facilitated by people working within government agencies and regulatory authorities, and water scientists, in partnership with Aboriginal communities. Genuine relationship building is not just an “engagement activity”. It should be grounded in respect, reciprocity and an understanding of the obligation to care for Country as a living relative. This process takes time and will not necessarily progress according to a particular schedule. This creates a tension between existing approvals mechanisms and best-practice engagement with Indigenous communities. Some governments and companies are working towards improving relationships with Indigenous communities. But this is not a requirement of existing systems for groundwater management. Our cultural heritage continues to be lost. We must work together for a better future so our precious water is protected, not just for the next 50 years but for the next 5,000. This requires a holistic understanding that weaves together Western and Indigenous perspectives to ensure that both people and Country can thrive. A future where Indigenous laws, sciences and decision-making authority are embedded in, not appended to, water science and governance. Sarah Bourke receives funding from the National Water Grid Authority of the Australian Government. She is affiliated with the International Association of Hydrogeologists. Margaret Shanafield receives funding from the National Water Grid Authority of the Australian Government.Bradley J. Moggridge and Clint Hansen do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Water
Indigenous
Science

Water levels across the Great Lakes are falling – just as US data centers move in

Region struggling with drought now threatened by energy-hungry facilities – but some residents are fighting backThe sign outside Tom Hermes’s farmyard in Perkins Township in Ohio, a short drive south of the shores of Lake Erie, proudly claims that his family have farmed the land here since 1900. Today, he raises 130 head of cattle and grows corn, wheat, grass and soybeans on 1,200 acres of land.For his family, his animals and wider business, water is life. Continue reading...

The sign outside Tom Hermes’s farmyard in Perkins Township in Ohio, a short drive south of the shores of Lake Erie, proudly claims that his family have farmed the land here since 1900. Today, he raises 130 head of cattle and grows corn, wheat, grass and soybeans on 1,200 acres of land.For his family, his animals and wider business, water is life.So when, in May 2024, the Texas-based Aligned Data Centers broke ground on its NEO-01, four-building, 200,000 sq ft data center on a brownfield site that abuts farmland that Hermes rents, he was concerned.“We have city water here. That’s going to reduce the pressure if they are sucking all the water,” he says of the data center.“They’re not good, I know that.”Two years ago, the company said it would invest about $202m on a “hyperscale” data center that would employ 18 people and dozens more in the construction process. Although the company claims it uses a closed-loop, air-cooled system for cooling its computers that can reduce the need for water, artificial intelligence, machine-learning and other high power-demand processes do rely on water as a cooling agent.All the while, a 10-minute drive north, the shoreline of Lake Erie hasn’t been this low in years.Water levels across all five Great Lakes have begun to drop in recent months as part of a long-term fall. Since 2019, the Great Lakes have seen water-level decreases of two to four feet. While experts say this is a natural decrease given the record highs the lakes have experienced since 2020, it’s happening at a time when a huge new consumer of water has appeared on the horizon: data centers.The source of the largest single deposit of freshwater on the planet, the Great Lakes, in particular Lake Erie, are already struggling with the fallout of drought and warmer water temperatures that, at this time of year, fuel major lake-effect snowstorms, and greater than normal levels of evaporation due to the absence of ice cover.With major cities such as Chicago, Toronto, Detroit and Pittsburgh all within a few hundred miles of each other, small, under-resourced communities around the Great Lakes have become hugely attractive for data-center companies.In Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, Microsoft is building what it calls the “world’s most-powerful AI data center” that is set to open early next year and expected to use up to 8.4bn gallons of municipal water from the city of Racine every year. Racine gets its water from Lake Michigan. Similar stories are playing out in Hobart, Indiana, where AWS is planning to build a data center two miles from Lake Michigan’s shoreline, and in Port Washington, Wisconsin.In Benton Harbor, Michigan, locals are concerned that a proposed $3bn data center would contribute to environmental pollution and traffic.Forty miles west of Aligned’s under-construction data center in Ohio, in Woodville Township, hundreds of people showed up to a public meeting last October to voice concern about another proposed data center project in their rural community.“The Great Lakes region, especially in states such as Illinois and Ohio, [is] among the most data-center dense states in the region. In addition to the high volumes of water used on site for cooling, our recent research found that even more water may be consumed to generate electricity to power data centers’ energy needs,” says Kirsten James, senior program director for water at Ceres, a nonprofit headquartered in Boston.“These impacts can conflict with communities’ water-resource planning efforts.”The Great Lakes Compact, a 2005 accord signed by the governors of eight US states and two Canadian provinces, means that Great Lakes Water must only be used within the regional basin.Research by Purdue University found that data centers on average consume about 300,000 gallons of water a day. Water used by data centers is warmed significantly and for those that do not use a closed loop system, that heated effluent water, just 20% of the initial amount, is often discharged back into local wastewater systems or the environment, with potentially serious consequences for flora, fauna and human consumers. Even closed-loop systems that reuse the same water repeatedly need millions of gallons of water.While many new data centers are drawing water from local municipalities that, in turn, get their water from groundwater, much of that supply comes from the Great Lakes watersheds.Some communities are fighting back. Last month, residents of Fife Lake, Michigan, were overjoyed after hearing a plan for a data center in their town of 471 residents would be scrapped due to local opposition.Similar stories of successful opposition have played out in Indiana and elsewhere.But the data centers are fighting back.Private firms representing data center companies have often successfully sued community authorities, accusing them of illegally excluding certain types of developments, making small towns powerless in the battle to keep out giant water-guzzling corporations.In Michigan’s Saline Township, a community of about 400 people outside Ann Arbor, OpenAI and Oracle used a representative company to successfully sue the local authority to overcome opposition and build a massive facility that would use 1.4 gigawatts of electricity – roughly the equivalent of powering 1.4 million homes.The Detroit Free Press editorial board assailed the move, calling it a “a fait accompli, hammered into this tiny Washtenaw county community over the objections of residents, the elected board that represents them, and Michigan’s attorney general, absent expert or outside testimony save a cursory public hearing held over Microsoft Teams”.Data companies and their backers, however, say their presence is a net gain for Great Lakes communities by providing jobs and investment over the course of years.Aligned has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to Perkins Township, the local school system and a career center. In return, it gets a 15-year tax exemption from local authorities. A representative declined to respond to questions from the Guardian asking how much water it intends to use at the data center and from where it originates.Local municipalities that support these facilities claim that the data centers will increase tax revenue and help rebuild ageing infrastructure such as water delivery systems that, in some places, are in significant need of upgrading. Calls, emails and messages left with Erie county commissioners asking if local authorities plan to supply the Perkins Township data center with water were not responded to.Some Perkins Township residents say a number of local companies have been hired during the construction phase, bringing work to the area.But many argue those investments are not worth the long-term price the community may pay.Amanda Voegle, who works at a heating business now directly facing the data center, is concerned about water and many other issues.“A couple of years ago, there was a water pollution issue at the site. I’m very concerned. Is this [water] going back into the lake?”Two years ago, the construction site upon which the data center is being built was found to be the source of contamination of a river that flows into Lake Erie, with the remediation company responsible cited by the Ohio EPA for unauthorized discharges into state waters.“I don’t understand why they built it so close to the street, because it’s an eyesore,” says Voegle.She says there have been other unusual incidents at her workplace recently, including power surges.“I don’t know if it’s related [to the data center]. It’s probably almost weekly that we lose power and have to fully reboot everything. There was a couple of things we actually had to replace because [the power surge] fried it.”

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