Georgians outraged after data center drains 30M gallons of water amid drought conditions: report

Residents in Fayetteville, Georgia, specifically the Annelise Park neighborhood, discovered last year that their water pressure was unusually weak. A subsequent county investigation revealed that a 6.6 million-square-foot data center project by Quality Technology Services (QTS), owned by Blackstone, was responsible for consuming approximately 30 million gallons of water without initial payment. Two industrial-scale water hookups were connected to the QTS campus; one was installed without alerting the local utility, and the other was not linked to QTS's account, resulting in neither being charged. A May 2025 letter from the Fayette County water system informed QTS they owed nearly $150,000 for over 29 million gallons of water. QTS stated they paid all retroactive charges once notified, and the county's water system attributed the billing lapse to a procedural slip-up during a transition to a new cloud-based system, confirming the meters are now tracked. However, outrage intensified after local officials urged Fayetteville residents to conserve water due to a state-wide drought declared by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. James Clifton, an attorney running for a seat on the Fayette County Board of Commissioners, publicized the letter to QTS, highlighting the data center's substantial water consumption, often making it the county's top water user, even as residents were asked to cut back. Clifton also posted photos appearing to show continued landscape watering at the QTS site despite the drought. Local officials defend the QTS project, one of the largest in the country, citing its potential to generate tens of millions in annual property taxes. QTS claims it will eventually use a "closed-loop" cooling system requiring minimal water, with high consumption last year attributed to temporary construction needs. The company anticipates water use equivalent to four households per month once operational. Nevertheless, the project is still under development, and high water usage could continue for several more years. Residents are also frustrated that QTS was not fined for the billing error, a decision defended by Fayette County water system director Vanessa Tigert as "customer service" for their largest customer, while also citing staff shortages as a reason for the oversight. This incident mirrors growing public discontent across the US regarding data center projects, with residents expressing frustration over environmental impacts, utility bill hikes, water strain, and noise/light pollution. The article references similar opposition in nearby Coweta County against "Project Sail" and in Utah and Missouri over other data center developments.