Fayetteville, Georgia, Data Center Draws Scrutiny for Massive Unbilled Water Use; City Council Bans New Construction

Residents of Fayetteville, Georgia, faced severe drought conditions and unusually low water pressure, prompting county officials to urge water conservation. Simultaneously, a massive data center campus owned by Quality Technology Services (QTS), located 20 miles south of Atlanta, was secretly consuming over 30 million gallons of water from local reserves.

Fayette County water officials investigating complaints discovered that QTS had two industrial-scale connections to the water system; one was installed without the water department's knowledge, and the other was unbilled. This oversight resulted in an overdue bill of nearly $150,000, which QTS paid upon notification. Fayette County Water System Director Vanessa Tigert attributed the error to a transition to new smart meters and an overwhelmed department unaccustomed to such large-scale commercial infrastructure. Despite the magnitude of the water use and billing error, the county opted not to fine QTS, citing the company as their largest customer and a 'partner.'

Local attorney James Clifton exposed the scandal by obtaining official documents and sharing them on social media, sparking public outrage. Residents were frustrated by the hypocrisy of being asked to conserve water while a major corporation used vast quantities without consequence. QTS, owned by Blackstone, claimed the extensive water consumption was due to 'temporary construction activities' and assured that future operations would use a closed-loop cooling system, drastically reducing water needs.

However, the damage to public trust was substantial, and mounting public pressure ultimately compelled the Fayetteville City Council to implement a ban on all new data center construction within the city limits.