Is a claim that a massive data center will use only four Olympic swimming pools of water per year accurate?

Microsoft's data centers in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, particularly a large-scale expansion, are projected to consume significantly more water annually than a claim suggesting only four Olympic-size pools. The city of Racine is slated to supply water for the facilities, primarily for cooling purposes. While the first data center, described by Microsoft as "the world's most powerful data center" and expected to commence operations in 2026, is projected by Racine to use 2.81 million gallons (approximately four Olympic pools) in its first year, this figure is misleading. Plans include a second data center already under construction and a further expansion encompassing 15 additional centers. Racine's projections for the total build-out indicate an annual water usage of 8.44 million gallons, roughly equivalent to 12 Olympic pools. Furthermore, these projections do not account for the substantial amount of water required to generate the electricity powering the data centers. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated in 2024 that 92.5% of water used by U.S. data centers is for electricity generation, with only 7.5% for cooling.