The boom in Artificial Intelligence is fueling a surge in massive data centers. A new report warns that growth could strain water supplies in Great Lakes states such as Michigan.
Large data centers use water to cool servers, which generate a lot of heat. A report by the nonprofit Alliance for the Great Lakes says the facilities could go through more than 150 billion gallons of water annually from the Great Lakes region within the next five years.
In Michigan, Consumers Energy announced this month it will provide a gigawatt of new power for a large data center planned for an undisclosed site in the Lower Peninsula.
The report warns that states like Michigan must prepare for the growing demand by conducting studies, developing better water use reporting rules, and setting conservation and efficiency standards.
If states and local governments don’t act now, the report says, Great Lakes states could see a drop in water supplies for homes, businesses, and food production.
Consumers Energy is a financial supporter of WKAR.
