Study Examines Water use and Environmental Impacts of California Data Centers
Authors Iris Stewart-Frey and Irina Raicu argue that generative AI and hyperscale data centers “consume and pollute substantial amounts of water at nearly every stage of their supply chain.”
Raicu said developers and policymakers should provide more information so communities can understand what is coming to their neighborhoods.
“We do need data centers,” Raicu said. “They’re really an important part of our lives. Our report is not here to say, ‘Don’t build data centers.’ The report is to highlight California’s fragile water system and how it plays out in particular locations.”
Irina Raicu, director, internet ethics, quoted by The Desert Review.
May 16, 2026