Commentary discusses data center water usage and national AI dominance
This opinion piece discusses the significant water consumption by data centers across the US, citing federal projections and local examples like Lake Washington and the Grande Ronde Aquifer. While acknowledging the strategic importance of AI development for national power, the author argues for implementing regulations to ensure responsible water stewardship without hindering progress against international competitors.
In an opinion piece for the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Scotty Anderson addresses concerns regarding data center water consumption, noting the vast amounts of water used by tech companies nationwide. He highlights that federal projections indicate US data centers could consume up to 70 billion gallons of water annually, equating to emptying Lake Washington in just over a decade.
Anderson emphasizes the critical importance of AI leadership for national power, arguing that falling behind in this technological race would have severe consequences. However, he also acknowledges the environmental impact, specifically mentioning the Grande Ronde Aquifer, which supplies water to the region's university towns and has seen declining levels for decades.
The author explores the potential of using saltwater for cooling and desalination, a technology that could create freshwater while dissipating heat, but notes its current prohibitive cost compared to accessing groundwater. Anderson concludes by advocating for "guardrails" and engineering solutions to promote better aquifer stewardship without imposing regulations that would unduly slow down data center development, given the urgent need for AI advancement.