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In reply to the discussion: AI is leading to thousands of job losses, report finds [View all]hatrack
(63,370 posts)Last edited Sat Aug 2, 2025, 10:48 AM - Edit history (1)
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Microsofts Stargate campus in Abilene is leading a surge in data center construction, promising to become one of the worlds largest hubs supporting advanced artificial intelligence technology, as per a report by Techie + Gamers. But behind this high-tech promise lies a growing environmental concern: water consumption. According to a July 2025 investigation by The Austin Chronicle, data centers across Central Texas, including Microsoft and US Army Corps facilities in San Antonio, used a combined 463 million gallons of water in 2023 and 2024 alone, as reported by Techie + Gamers. Thats enough water to meet the needs of tens of thousands of households, according to the report.
For many Texans, this feels like a painful contradiction. While drought warnings urge residents to limit water use, especially for everyday activities like showering, giant facilities essential to the tech economy are quietly drawing vast amounts of water, mostly for cooling servers that keep the data centers running 24/7, as per the Techie + Gamers report. Robert Mace, executive director of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University highlighted that, People dont think of data centers as industrial water users, but they are, adding that, Once that water evaporates, its just gone, as quoted in the report.
The scale of water use is massive, as the Texas Water Development Board projections estimate that data centers in the state will consume 49 billion gallons of water in 2025, soaring to nearly 400 billion gallons by 2030, as per Techie + Gamers report. Thats about 7% of Texass total projected water use, according to the report. Margaret Cook, a water policy analyst at the Houston Advanced Research Center pointed out that, These centers are showing up in places that are very water-stressed," adding, "Theres no requirement for them to have conversations with communities about how much water theyll use, as quoted in the report.
Locals in the Hill Country region, where several new AI-focused centers are under construction, are raising alarms. Much of the water these centers use evaporates during cooling and cant be recycled, a critical issue in an area already grappling with scarce water resources, as reported by Techie + Gamers.
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https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstories/texas-ai-centers-guzzle-463-million-gallons-now-residents-are-asked-to-cut-back-on-showers/ar-AA1Jx2zN
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