NEWS: Data center uses millions of gallons of water during drought.
The short version: Aaron Parnas flags a data center burning through millions of gallons of water mid-drought — exactly the kind of local resource math GridWatch exists to track.
Our Take
Credit to Aaron Parnas for putting a number on something too many local officials would rather keep vague: millions of gallons of water moving through a data center's cooling systems while the region around it is under drought restrictions. That's the pattern we keep seeing nationwide — hyperscale facilities get built on promises of jobs and tax revenue, and the water math gets worked out later, usually after residents are already facing watering bans or rate hikes.
The frustrating part is how rarely these deals get real public scrutiny before the concrete is poured. Water allocations, cooling system specs, and drought contingency plans are often negotiated quietly between utilities, developers, and local boards, with residents finding out only when the news does. Whether this particular facility's usage was disclosed upfront or discovered after the fact says a lot about how much leverage a community actually had going in.
We don't have the specifics on this site yet, but it's exactly the kind of facility we track. Check the map to see what's been approved near you, and if your area is staring down a similar deal, our take-action page has steps for pushing for real disclosure before the taps get turned on.
This is GridWatch the USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of Aaron Parnas, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.