Georgia Data Center Drained Nearly 30 Million Gallons of Water Unbilled, Sparking Outcry Over Drought and Oversight
May 9, 2026
Georgia Data Center Drained Nearly 30 Million Gallons of Water Unbilled, Sparking Outcry Over Drought and Oversight
A major data center campus in Fayetteville, Georgia, operated by Quality Technology Services (QTS), consumed more than 29 million gallons of water without proper metering or billing, according to a letter from the Fayette County water system. The incident, which came to light after residents reported low water pressure, has intensified local tensions over the resource demands of the rapidly expanding data center industry in a state grappling with drought.
The May 15, 2025 letter from the county to QTS detailed a retroactive charge of $147,474 for the unmetered water, equivalent to the volume of 44 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The amount far exceeded the peak consumption limit agreed upon during the planning process for the facility. Vanessa Tigert, the Fayette County water system director, told reporters that the unpaid period likely spanned about four months, though a QTS spokesperson said the timeframe was between nine and 15 months. The company has since paid all retroactive charges, attributing the unmetered usage to a period when the county was transitioning to a smart meter system.
Tigert described the oversight as a procedural mix-up, noting that Fayette County is predominantly residential and unaccustomed to managing large commercial accounts. “We didn’t realize our connection point wasn’t working,” she said. The issue became public after a county resident obtained the letter through a public records request and posted it on Facebook, prompting widespread outrage. “We get this notification from Fayette County water system saying you need to stop watering your lawns to help conserve water,” said James Clifton, an attorney and property rights advocate who shared the document. “So the first thing they do is lean on the individuals and the citizens to stop water consumption when we have QTS that’s just absolutely draining us — most months it’s the No. 1 consumer of water in the county.”
The Fayetteville campus, one of the largest data center developments in the United States, spans 615 acres and plans for up to 16 buildings, though it is only partially operational. County officials project the campus will generate tens of millions of dollars in annual property taxes, but its massive scale and appetite for water and electricity have galvanized local opposition. The Fayetteville City Council voted last month to ban new data centers in every zoning district within the city. Georgia is home to more than 200 data center facilities, and their water consumption has become a political flashpoint as the entire state experiences moderate to high levels of drought. Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency last month in response to one of the state’s worst wildfire outbreaks in years.
QTS, a major developer owned by private equity firm Blackstone, disputes the characterization of its water use. The company touts a closed-loop cooling system that it says does not consume water for cooling, and it attributed its high water consumption last year to temporary construction-related activities such as concrete work, dust control, and site preparation. Once operational, the company claims the data centers will only use water for domestic needs like bathrooms and kitchens, totaling the equivalent of what four U.S. households use per month. However, construction is expected to continue for another three to five years.
While the utility charged QTS a higher construction rate for the unapproved water consumption, it did not impose a fine. Tigert defended the decision, saying, “They’re our largest customer, and we have to be partners. It’s called customer service.” Gregory Pierce, director of the UCLA Water Resources Group, said it is unusual for a utility to forgo a penalty. “I don’t know exactly what’s happening here, but they probably don’t want to upset one of their new and largest customers,” he said. The incident has left some residents frustrated. “It’s just frustrating to see them come into our community and run all over us like the citizens don’t matter, and then they’re above the law when they do break it,” Clifton said.
Source: politico
