AI data center sued over plans to draw 287 million gallons of water from depleted Colorado River
A proposed AI data center in Southern California is facing a lawsuit regarding its plans to use 287 million gallons of water annually from the Colorado River, which is already experiencing severe depletion due to climate change. Critics argue that the project's promised jobs will not benefit the local agricultural workforce and that the demand for water is unsustainable. The federal government is already cutting water usage on the Colorado River.
An AI data center project in Imperial County, Southern California, is at the center of a controversy and lawsuit over its proposed water usage. Reporter JT Cestkowski of Status Coup News explains that the facility plans to extract 287 million gallons of water annually from the Colorado River, which is already severely depleted due to climate change.
While the amount represents a small fraction of what the Imperial Irrigation District is allotted, Cestkowski warns that data center developments often lead to more facilities being built, increasing overall water demand. The project is facing a public pressure campaign, as Imperial County has a 17% unemployment rate, and proponents argue it will bring jobs. However, Cestkowski notes that these jobs are unlikely to benefit the predominantly agricultural labor force, potentially displacing unemployed farm workers instead of employing them.
The federal government is already implementing water usage cuts on the Colorado River, making the new data center's demand for water a contentious issue amid ongoing environmental concerns.