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Residents in Fayetteville, Georgia, are protesting a large QTS data center project after county officials revealed the site consumed nearly 30 million gallons of water without being properly billed, according to Politico.
The issue came to light after homeowners in the wealthy Annelise Park neighborhood reported weak water pressure. A subsequent county investigation determined the cause was linked to two industrial water connections at the massive 6.6 million-square-foot QTS campus, a project backed by Blackstone. According to officials, one hookup was not properly reported and another was never attached to the company’s billing account.
County authorities later billed QTS roughly $150,000 for the water usage, equivalent to tens of millions of gallons. The company said it paid the charges immediately upon notification, while county officials attributed the oversight to staffing shortages and complications tied to a transition to smart-meter technology.
Public anger intensified after local residents were asked to conserve water during statewide drought conditions declared by Georgia officials.
James Clifton, an attorney running for county commissioner, published documents related to the incident and shared photos that appeared to show sprinklers operating at the QTS site despite conservation requests.
The controversy has become part of a wider national debate over the impact of rapidly expanding data centers, which has raised concerns involving water consumption, power demand, environmental effects, and community oversight. Similar disputes have recently surfaced in states including Utah and Missouri.
QTS and local officials maintain the project will bring major economic benefits and say the completed facility will use a closed-loop cooling system that vastly reduces water needs. However, construction-related water demand could continue for several more years as development progresses.