California communities raise water concerns amid AI data center proposals
Residents in California's San Joaquin Valley are concerned about water usage by proposed AI data centers, particularly two "mini" centers on fairgrounds in Tulare and Kings counties. Local governments are responding with proposed moratoriums and discussions on new land use regulations for data centers. The controversy highlights a statewide debate over data center water consumption and regulatory clarity.
Residents in California's San Joaquin Valley, particularly in Tulare and Kings counties, are raising significant concerns about the high water consumption of proposed artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The controversy began with proposals for two "mini" AI data centers on fairgrounds in Tulare and Kings counties, which sparked a "firestorm of questions and angry comments" from residents fearing further strain on already stressed water supplies.
In response to the public outcry, Tulare County supervisors are set to consider an emergency 45-day moratorium on data center development in unincorporated areas on August 18, aiming to develop comprehensive land use regulations. Similarly, the Visalia City Council will discuss a data center moratorium. Other California localities have already enacted similar measures, including the City of Patterson in Stanislaus County and the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, which reversed an earlier approval for a large AI data center.
The article also highlights several other AI data center projects across California, including a 100-megawatt facility planned by Ameresco, Inc. at Naval Air Station Lemoore, a 600,000-square-foot project by California Resources Corporation and Beacon Data Center in the Elk Hills oilfield near Taft, and a 99-megawatt proposal by R&L Capital, Inc. in eastern Kern County near Inyokern. Concerns persist about the lack of transparent water usage data, with a previous state bill for disclosure vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, though new bills (AB 2469 and AB 2619) are again seeking such requirements. The Governor has also tasked the California Public Utilities Commission with developing statewide recommendations for data center regulation, indicating a growing recognition of the issue at the state level.