With water cuts looming in Arizona, locals fight data centres
Arizona residents, facing water scarcity and extreme heat, are protesting large data centre projects that would consume significant water and power.
In Tucson, Arizona, residents like Marisol Winfrey Herrera and her three-year-old daughter are fighting against the construction of two large data centre projects known as Project Blue. The $3.6 billion and $5 billion projects on the southeast and northwest sides of Tucson are opposed by the group No Desert Data Center, which argues they will consume more water and power than the desert city can afford, especially amid a 30-year drought and a 20% drop in Colorado River flows since 2000.
City councillors initially voted not to acquire land for the project, but Pima County approved it. Developer Beale Infrastructure switched to air cooling instead of water, but activists say that will increase energy use. Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has already raised rates, and residents fear further hikes.
In Marana, another project sparked opposition. Jackie McGuire, a former banker and mother of three, is running for city council to demand transparency on data centre operations. A study found that data centres in the Phoenix area raise downwind temperatures by 1.22°C. The state's largest project, La Osa, was scaled back from 59 to 11 data centres after public outcry.
Water scarcity has long been contentious in Arizona, which fought a Supreme Court case over Colorado River water. Governor Katie Hobbs is seeking a larger water allocation, citing essential industries including data centres. Despite protests, construction on Project Blue began in late April, and Beale started digging wells. Activists vow to continue the fight.
