Data centers are changing communities. Get the facts behind the claims.
Examine the evidence on water, power, cooling, jobs, taxes, emissions, and community impact — presented as Claim, Evidence, and What's still unknown.
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Newsroom
Latest briefings
Last checked: Oct 3, 7:03 PM · Last successful update: Oct 3, 7:03 PM
ClickFix attacks infecting PCs and Macs are going viral
Source: Ars Technica · Dan Goodin · retrieved Oct 3, 7:03 PM
Apple changes full-disk access permissions to curb abuse from AI agents
Source: Ars Technica · Dan Goodin · retrieved Oct 3, 7:03 PM
Hacks of 2 federal agencies in a month have spilled a bonanza of sensitive data
Source: Ars Technica · Dan Goodin · retrieved Oct 3, 7:03 PM
Memory executives expect RAM shortage to continue through 2028
Source: Ars Technica · Scharon Harding · retrieved Oct 3, 7:03 PM
Attackers have been exploiting critical Zimbra flaw to steal emails
Source: Ars Technica · Dan Goodin · retrieved Oct 3, 7:03 PM
Explainers
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The core method
Claims vs. Evidence
Every issue is presented in three parts so you can judge for yourself.
Water
Claim
Data centers use enormous amounts of water.
Evidence
ReportedSome facilities using evaporative cooling consume substantial water; reported figures for individual large sites have ranged into the hundreds of millions of gallons per year. Water use varies enormously by cooling design, climate, and whether water is withdrawn vs. consumed.
What's still unknown
There is no comprehensive, standardized national dataset of data center water use. Many facilities do not publicly report, and 'water use' is often cited without distinguishing withdrawal from consumption.
Power
Claim
Data centers are straining the electricity grid.
Evidence
ReportedGrid operators and utilities (e.g., ERCOT, PJM, Georgia Power) report data centers as a significant driver of forecast load growth. LBNL estimated US data centers used about 4.4% of national electricity in 2023, with projected growth.
What's still unknown
Future load forecasts are uncertain and depend on AI adoption, efficiency gains, and how much proposed capacity is actually built. Interconnection-queue figures overstate what will be built.
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