Data center opposition goes global over water and power concerns

From the American heartland to the southern tip of Africa, communities are mounting an increasingly organized resistance to the rapid expansion of AI data centers, uniting across political and geographic lines over shared concerns about water scarcity, energy strain, and a lack of transparency from developers and governments alike.

A Legislative Tsunami in the United States

The backlash has reached a scale few in the technology industry anticipated. According to The Washington Post, 375 bills aimed at restricting data center construction have been introduced in U.S. state legislatures as of mid-July, up from 243 in all of 2025 and just 75 in 2024. Eight states enacted legislation in 2026 rolling back data center tax subsidies, while another 17 considered similar measures, Politico reported.washingtonpost+1

The opposition has proved potent at the ballot box. In Festus, Missouri, voters in April ousted all four incumbent city council members who had approved a $6 billion data center project. In July, opponents staged protests at more than 140 locations across 42 states, according to Reuters. In Connecticut, State Senator Jeff Gordon in early September called for a moratorium on new data center construction, seeking protections for residents and the environment.courant+4

South Africa Sounds the Alarm

The pushback has gone global. South African civil rights groups are calling for a halt to new data center construction until the use of scarce water, land, and electricity has been properly investigated, the Associated Press reported. The South African Human Rights Commission said it received over 250 submissions from interested groups after calling for public input in May.gazette

A planned Equinix ↗ 0.50% hyperscale facility in Cape Town has drawn particular ire in a city that narrowly avoided running out of water in 2018. The facility would require an estimated 160 megawatts of electricity. "Serious investors are not deterred by clear rules. They price uncertainty, and an unregulated boom is the most uncertain environment of all," said Pitso Tsibolane, a senior lecturer at the University of Cape Town.gazette

India Demands Transparency

In Visakhapatnam, India, activists on Sunday demanded an independent expert committee assess proposed AI data centers with a combined capacity of roughly 6,500 megawatts before authorities make further commitments. Speakers at a meeting organized by the environmental group Green Visakha called for a comprehensive review covering land allotments, water and power requirements, environmental impacts, and local employment. Retired civil servant EAS Sarma urged that any plan to divert water from the Polavaram project or local reservoirs be paused until drinking water security is guaranteed.newindianexpress+1

The industry maintains that data centers in South Africa and India are far smaller than their U.S. counterparts and increasingly rely on renewable energy. But as one operator association acknowledged, the core problem remains the same worldwide: developers are not yet required to disclose how much water, electricity, and land they will use in binding terms.gazette