Inside the Private Deal Between Amazon and Ridgeland’s Water System
A private agreement between Amazon and Ridgeland, Mississippi, for an upcoming data center raises concerns about water usage and potential strain on local infrastructure, particularly Jackson's wastewater system. While Amazon estimates 93 million gallons annually, the contract allows for up to 14 times that amount daily with few explicit restrictions or reporting requirements. Residents and experts worry about the long-term impacts on water availability and utility costs.
Residents of Ridgeland, Mississippi, express frustration over a lack of transparency regarding an Amazon data center under construction near their homes, specifically concerning its water consumption. Amazon has projected the facility will use 93 million gallons of water annually to cool its AI and cloud computing servers. However, a private agreement between Amazon and the City of Ridgeland, obtained by the Mississippi Free Press, permits the company to withdraw up to 3.67 million gallons daily—a figure significantly higher than the estimated usage.
Experts, including Haley Gentry of the Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy, criticize the agreement for lacking specific guardrails and enforcement mechanisms beyond the peak daily allowance, making it difficult to predict actual water usage. This could lead to service disruptions and increased water bills for existing residents, especially if the data center fails. While Amazon attributes the higher figure to extreme peak use and states its operations will not consume water at the expense of residential access, critics like Alexandria Nelson of the Environmental Law Institute highlight that the direct evaporative cooling method planned for the data center may be less efficient in Mississippi's humid climate, potentially requiring more water or energy.
The agreement also raises concerns for neighboring Jackson, Mississippi, whose already strained wastewater treatment system is slated to process the data center's discharge. Jackson's system has a history of deficiencies, and experts like Gentry question its capacity to handle an influx of industrial wastewater without Amazon contributing funds for upgrades. Ridgeland Public Works Director Alan Hart defended the deal, stating Amazon has met all city demands and invested $37 million in local water system expansions that will benefit both the company and residential users.