AI data centers and water usage: It’s a genuine and growing problem Katarina Zimmer | September 22, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/22/ai-data-centers-and-water-usage-its-a-genuine-and-growing-problem/ “Protect our water,” “Water for people not AI,” “Don’t mess with our water,” declare protest signs from Texas to New Mexico to Arizona. Angered by water use, energy consumption and pollution, locals are increasingly protesting the rapid expansion of data centers in the United States as tech companies work to rapidly expand capacity for AI.