California's largest AI data center is suing for access to 287 million gallons of Colorado River water a year

[Endymio]

I get you want to talk about data centers. But I'm not debating with you about them.

This is an article about data centers.

I would absolutely also want to review proposals for "0.03% of water capacity" from golf courses, or even less discretionary uses up to and including a hospital.

It's not the "review" that caused this story. It was the denial of the request and a total moratorium on ALL datacenter projects -- even those like this that don't increase water consumption by one drop -- while golf courses and other consumers not only continue, and are free to request additional consumption.

This from a county with unemployment more than quadruple the national average, no less.

 

[Darth Shiv]

You don't need water to cool a data centre, this is a fact, they just want to control water so they can force you to buy water at a higher prices

"Need" is doing heavy lifting there. Water cooling is the most economic therefore yes they will throw pittance of legal money at it because the payoff is huge financial gain.

 

[Gmachine]

They want to control water too? So they can sell you smart water or AI water or something

 

[Ben Myers]

For decades, I have said the today's wars are fought over oil and tomorrow's wars will be fought over water. Tomorrow is here and this war takes place in the courtroom. There will be many other wars over water in the coming years, some with legal briefs, others with lethal weapons.

 

[Endymio]

There will be many other wars over water in the coming years, some with legal briefs, others with lethal weapons.

One thing that's rarely mentioned is that 86% of water use in Western US states is for agriculture, and more than 3/4 of that is spent on desert agriculture -- growing water-intensive crops in highly arid regions. It's not an intelligent use of water, but such it is.

 

[Ben Myers]

One thing that's rarely mentioned is that 86% of water use in Western US states is for agriculture, and more than 3/4 of that is spent on desert agriculture -- growing water-intensive crops in highly arid regions. It's not an intelligent use of water, but such it is.

Worse yet, the states are not the best custodians of the water. When I lived in Phoenix decades ago, the water flowed in open "canals", so there was a lot of evaporation in 100 degree temperatures.