Morgan County residents raise concerns over well water
Residents in Morgan County, Georgia, are experiencing dirty well water, which some attribute to a massive data center. The issue, ongoing for four years, has drawn national attention after Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez highlighted it in Congress, though county officials note initial water complaints coincided with a Rivian plant's land clearing.
Residents in Morgan County, Georgia, are voicing concerns over the quality of their well water, with some directly linking the problem to a large data center built in the area. Local activist Jean DeFort supports these claims, citing significant land disturbance and heavy soil compaction as potential causes for the fouled water.
The issue, which residents say has persisted for nearly four years, gained national attention when Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez displayed a sample of darkened water in Congress, attributing the problem to the Morgan County data center.
However, Morgan County officials suggest a more nuanced timeline. They indicate that initial complaints about dirty well water, marked by mud-colored filters after rainfall, began when Rivian started clearing land for an auto assembly plant nearby. While acknowledging legitimate concerns, officials note these early complaints predated the data center and occurred after 7 million cubic yards of dirt were moved onto a groundwater recharge area. Officials express willingness to investigate the fresh complaints regarding the data center's impact.