Big Tech’s Hidden Cost: Massive Data Centers Are Draining America’s Water and Power
The AI boom has spawned hundreds of water- and energy-intensive server farms across the US, with one-third of the world’s internet traffic flowing through data centers in Virginia alone
For the first time, Business Insider has documented the true scale of the industry—revealing how many data centers exist in America, who owns them, and exactly how much electricity they’re consuming
Some Arizona data centers are using up to a million gallons of water daily just to cool their computer servers in a drought-ridden state
The constant hum from 80-foot-high data center boxes is already affecting residents living nearby, particularly in Virginia
Data centers’ massive power demands are forcing some states to abandon their carbon emissions reduction goals
Power companies are even considering extending the life of coal and gas plants to keep up with skyrocketing energy needs from AI and cloud computing
Business Insider’s exclusive investigation reveals “the true cost of the data warehouses feeding our growing appetite for cloud computing and AI”
Business Insider: September 12, 2025
