AI Doesn’t Need Our Clean Water — Here’s How to Make It Stop
Pictured: A computer chip with “AI” in capital letters. Credit: Unsplash.
Everyone’s Talking About AI and Its Environmental Impact
AI is everywhere in the conversation right now, but very few are talking about how its rapid growth affects the environment and marginalized communities. Technology doesn’t have to come at a cost to people or the planet. Yet, the latest AI data center is coming to the Cleveland area, and Ohio has zero targeted regulations restricting data center water use. This is a problem because capitalism will deplete everything in sight — it’s in the nature of the system. Companies aren’t going to regulate themselves out of the “goodness of their hearts.” Just look at Memphis, where Elon Musks’ xAI supercomputer has been accused by community members of polluting their water and air. This use is already stressing one of the cleanest aquifers in the U.S.
AI’s Hidden Thirst
Data centers consume enormous amounts of water, mostly to cool servers and support energy intensive operations. The truth is, these companies are not transparent about their water usage. So where do these thirsty AI facilities go? They move to water rich areas like the Great Lakes region, including Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit. Why? Abundant freshwater, cheap and reliable electricity, cooler climates, and existing industrial infrastructure. But just because water is “available” doesn’t mean it’s unlimited or fair to the surrounding communities.
Pictured: A view of downtown Cleveland, Ohio and Lake Erie. Credit: Photo by DJ Johnson on Unsplash
Turning Waste Into a Resource
So I have a solution that protects communities while allowing technology to grow: legally mandate AI data centers to use gray water or water that cannot be purified for human consumption. We need to also ENFORCE strict punishments for breaking this law. Companies should not be allowed to operate in the state for 5 years and pay out a lump sum to residents within a 100 mile radius. And quite frankly, this isn’t enough in my opinion, however it is a start. Instead of drawing on clean drinking water, facilities could tap into wastewater streams that would otherwise go unused. We can turn a “waste” stream into a resource, cutting the environmental impact while keeping critical water supplies safe for people. Closed loop systems and onsite recycling can make this practical and sustainable.
Pictured: black woman holding her smiling baby towards the sky. Credit: Photo by Lawrence Crayton on Unsplash
Profit Over People Shouldn’t Be an Option
Of course, companies will resist. They could claim it’s too expensive, that it slows operations, or that infrastructure upgrades are too complicated. Some might argue that regulatory compliance adds bureaucratic hurdles or that they prefer the convenience of municipal potable water (wastewater that has been purified and is legal for human use).
But these arguments don’t justify putting profit over people. Communities deserve access to safe water, and environmental justice should come before corporate convenience. Technology can innovate without draining our lifelines — it just needs laws and policies that enforce it and strong leaders that won’t bend at the knee to unchecked capitalism.
