The Thirst of Innovation

By: Karina Sturdivant

Technological innovation is moving at a pace that is unprecedented. It comes with little surprise that after AI was introduced, and at the rate at which people have adopted it into their everyday lives, AI tooling and the data centers that run them have moved equally so. However, is this sustainable in the long term?

            Data centers have incredible ability when it comes to computational power. But, with incredible power comes incredible responsibility. According to an article written by IBM, “The high computational power, advanced networking and vast storage systems in AI data centers require massive amounts of electrical power and advanced cooling systems to avoid outages […].” And where does that power and cooling capability come from? More and more within media, we hear the concerned stories of communities across the country who are outraged by the effects of waste generated from data centers such as light pollution, noise pollution, in addition to energy needs, and water consumption.

            As of April 2026, Texas has 84 existing data centers with an additional 143 projected to be built, according to an analysis completed by Cleanview. Though Texas is vast, our water resources may struggle to fulfill the combined need of our communities and the needs of the data centers. A data center’s water usage is based off of where it is located, that location’s climate, and size.

In hotter climates, naturally, the need for water rises. Already, without the extra load of data centers, Texas is experiencing water demand increases as the population rises. In a report written by the Texas Water Development Board, “[Texas is] projected to add more new residents by 2030 than any other state except California.” With a projected 73% increase in water demand over the coming decades. With the added load of data centers, this will lead to searches for sources of water such as our aquifers and natural areas of freshwater.

A study done within the report illustrated the average water use by San Antonio from 2004 to 2008. Indoor water usage alone was found to be about 23 billion gallons. This, in addition to “nearly five years of below-average rainfall and long-term drought […], a pair of San Antonio data centers used a combined 463 million gallons of water in 2023 and 2024”, as reported by an article written by the San Antonio Current. The equivalent of “tens of thousands of households.” And despite water restrictions for the local communities and surrounding areas, data centers are under no such restrictions as they cannot go without cooling.

             “Water-recycling” is a buzzword term that is often used when data centers proponents discuss their water needs. They explain how these centers will utilize closed-loop cooling, where water recirculates within a system so as to mitigate the overconsumption of resources. However, the heat produced by the data center causes water to evaporate. So, though some of the water may be recycled, “nearly 80% of the water” according to an article by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, will evaporate. Meaning, more water consumption and loss of resources for the communities and the people within them.

            This concern of water use and stress on the water supply isn’t anything new, with the Save Our Springs Alliance (SOSA) being an active organization since 1992. They work “to protect the Edwards Aquifer from overpumping, overdevelopment and pollutant contamination.” They feel that data centers threaten an already stressed water supply and are fighting to ensure that communities are heard in order to ensure health and longevity within communities.

Though there are concerns, it seems inevitable that data centers will become a more common sight within communities and our state. “Data centers are critical infrastructure for healthcare, finance, military operations, and the daily digital lives of our residents. […] I reaffirm a commitment to protecting the Edwards Aquifer and surrounding neighborhoods and call for targeted policy action […]. San Antonio can be open for business and protective of its residents at the same time,” stated council member Whyte on the City of San Antonio’s website.

            It seems that despite concerns, it is a reality that data centers are likely going to become our neighbors. However, as long as the conversation persists, with our collective representative voices of residents and leadership, we can demand that those in charge find ways to make data centers collaborate with communities, rather than work against them. Innovation for the sake of innovation is nothing if it doesn’t do anything to better the people and the communities in which it resides.