AI Data Centers Threaten U.S. Livestock Industry's Water Supply

Sprouting Gear Inc. founder Paul Pluss has raised concerns about the impact of AI infrastructure expansion on the U.S. livestock industry, announced in a press release. Pluss, a veteran livestock rancher, emphasizes that the rapid growth of data centers, essential for AI and cloud computing, poses a significant threat to water availability.

Data centers operated by major tech companies like Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon consume vast amounts of water for cooling purposes. Each facility can use up to 5 million gallons of water daily, and with the number of data centers expected to increase from 5,426 to over 8,378 in five years, the strain on water resources is set to intensify.

The water consumption by these data centers could soon surpass the entire livestock industry's water footprint, which includes feed crop irrigation, drinking water, and processing needs. This situation is particularly concerning as data centers and livestock operations often share the same aquifers and rivers, especially in hot, dry inland locations preferred for both data centers and feedlots.