One of the biggest data center projects in the US found to be sucking up 29 million gallons of water over 15 months and local residents only found out after complaining of low pressure, when they were initially told to stop watering their lawns

Date:
Fri, 15 May 2026 00:25:00 +0000

Description:
Fayette County declined to fine QTS after hidden water usage surfaced following complaints about weak residential water pressure locally.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Fayette County residents faced water restrictions while unmetered corporate consumption continued for
several unnoticed months County officials discovered hidden data center connections only after pressure complaints intensified locally QTS consumed millions of gallons before authorities acknowledged unauthorized water system access The recent moderate to severe drought in the US state of Georgia had a particular strain on Fayette County water resources, leading local officials to impose conservation measures on households.

However homeowners in a nearby subdivision reported unusually low pressure, prompting urgent complaints to authorities, who initially focused on directives to halt lawn watering without disclosing the underlying cause. But the county soon discovered that a massive data center campus was the real source of the problem, as the Quality Technology Services (QTS) facility, known as Project Excalibur, had been drawing roughly 29 million gallons of water through two connections that the county did not even know existed. Latest Videos From You may like Amazon, Microsoft, Google and more pressed on data center water and power use Saltwater cooling system could turn data centers into clean water producers Micron's $50 billion chip factory in Idaho will use billions of litres of water every year Unauthorized water use went unnoticed for months County water system director Vanessa Tigert blamed a procedural error during the transition to a cloud-based metering system.

Her department apparently has only one employee handling both inspections and plan reviews, and she admitted that they cannot keep staff.

The county and QTS disagreed on how long the water went unmetered, with
Tigert estimating four months and QTS saying 9 to 15 months.

A resident obtained the utility's May 2025 letter through a public records request, and the truth finally came to light - namely, that the county had known about QTS's unmetered connections for months without taking any enforcement action. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners
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Despite the situation, no financial penalties were issued, and when asked about the decision, Tigert told Politico , "They're our largest customer, and we have to be partners."

Fayette County opted for customer service over enforcement, calling the relationship a partnership rather than a regulatory obligation.

The QTS campus spans 6.2 million square feet across 13 buildings, with plans for up to 16 structures at full buildout. What to read next Utah just
approved a data center twice the size of Manhattan that will consume more electricity than the entire state AI boom triggers new battles over electricity infrastructure costs Southwest data centers face power risks as Hoover Dam output declines

The city expects the project to generate $150 million to $200 million
annually in property tax revenue. QTS denies using the water for cooling According to QTS, the 29 million gallons were consumed during temporary construction activities, including concrete work, dust control, and site preparation.

It uses a closed-loop cooling system for its operational data centers that recirculates water rather than drawing from the municipal supply.

Once fully operational, QTS said its facilities would only require water for domestic needs like bathrooms and kitchens.

QTS owed $147,474 in retroactive charges for the unmetered consumption, but the county refused to fine the company.

The residents who were told to stop watering their lawns now know exactly where their water went.

Though there were no fines issued, the company paid its back bill and the county called the matter settled.

Such conclusions expose the vulnerabilities in utility oversight during resource crunches, potentially eroding public trust when large users evade standard accountability.

If QTS were not a major property tax contributor, the county's response would likely have included financial penalties rather than a waived fine and a partnership excuse, with the incident revealing how large corporate interests can effectively write their own rules when local governments depend on their revenue. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/one-of-the-biggest-data-center-projects-in-the-u s-found-to-be-sucking-up-29-million-gallons-of-water-over-15-months-and-local- residents-only-found-out-after-complaining-of-low-pressure-when-they-were-init ially-told-to-stop-watering-their-lawns


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