It seems ludicrous that Americans are complaining about data centres given they wanted manufacturing to return to America. Sure, ok - if consumer electricity costs are higher, that is justifiable- and these costs should not be passed onto the public, but what other reasons could data centres be bad?
Massive water consumption....and some other environmental issues that's which causes are not properly understood yet...I definitely don't want to live in close proximity to big power lines, Railroad lines, highways or airports...and now Data Centers...I see Cape Town has given permission for 2 massive data centers close to the airport...a city with a looming water supply problem...
Data centers consume water primarily through evaporative cooling, where 70–80% of withdrawn freshwater is lost as vapor, with large facilities using 1 to 5 million gallons per day. This process draws heavily from local potable supplies, straining community resources in water-stressed regions.
Pollution occurs via chemical runoff and concentration, as cooling systems require biocides, corrosion inhibitors, and anti-scaling agents to prevent microbial growth and mineral buildup. The remaining 20–30% of water is discharged as wastewater containing these chemicals and concentrated minerals like phosphates, which can contaminate local waterways or overwhelm municipal sewage treatment plants.
Evaporative Loss: Most large centers use open-loop cooling towers, evaporating clean water to dissipate server heat, effectively removing it from the local water cycle.
Chemical Contamination: Treated wastewater may contain hazardous substances such as PFAS, chlorine, and heavy metals if not managed properly before discharge.
Mineral Concentration: As water evaporates, dissolved salts and minerals concentrate, creating brackish waste that is unsuitable for reuse and potentially harmful to ecosystems.
Indirect Impact: Significant water is also consumed indirectly through the manufacturing of microchips (requiring ultrapure water) and electricity generation for the facilities.
And that's just the water...what's the effect on the air and electro magnetic and infra red charge of the mediate vicinity?
And they use a huge amount of electricity……the grids won’t be able to cope.
As for the noise………
Imagine consuming a critical life resource for this shit. We're going the way of the Maya.
What about the unintended and yet unknown consequences...what could possibly go wrong?...
For once, I agree with Trump. Rather, work out a way to accommodate data centres without increasing consumer costs for electricity and water, and try to keep them far away from domestic areas.
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day
