A Drinking Problem

Beverly and Jeff Morris found a novel way to quit drinking. One day they turned on the water tap in their kitchen and nothing came out. It has something to do with their new neighbor in Newton County, Georgia. The couple drew water from a residential well until Meta broke ground on a new $750 million data center. “Months after construction began in 2018, the Morrises’ dishwasher, ice maker, washing machine and toilet all stopped working, said Beverly Morris, now 71. Within a year, the water pressure had slowed to a trickle. Soon, nothing came out of the bathroom and kitchen taps.” NYT (Gift Article): Their Water Taps Ran Dry When Meta Built Next Door. The dramatic impact of this kind of Zuck Suck may only impact relatively few families who live near an ever expanding number of internet and AI-powering data centers, but the water pressures don’t end there. “In the age of artificial intelligence, water has become as critical to data centers — which power the development of the cutting-edge technology — as electricity. The facilities pump enormous amounts of cold water into pipes that run throughout the buildings to cool the computers inside so that they can perform calculations and keep internet services like social networking humming. A data center like Meta’s, which was completed last year, typically guzzles around 500,000 gallons of water a day.” All’s not well that ends a well.