Claim

Data centers use enormous amounts of water.

Some 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 Water use varies enormously by cooling design, climate, and whether water is withdrawn vs. consumed.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.

Claim

Data centers are straining the electricity grid.

Grid 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.

Claim

Data centers create many local jobs.

Construction phases employ many workers temporarily. Permanent on-site staff for an operating data center is typically modest relative to capital invested.

What's still unknown

Permanent job counts vary by facility and are often not independently verified. Economic-impact studies are sometimes commissioned by developers; methodologies differ.

Claim

Data centers generate large tax revenue for communities.

In some jurisdictions (e.g., Loudoun County, VA), data center tangible-property taxes contribute a substantial share of local revenue. Many states also offer tax incentives that reduce revenue.

What's still unknown

Net fiscal impact depends on local tax structure and incentives granted. Results in one county do not generalize to others.