Edged US Opens 36MW Zero-Water AI Data Centre in Phoenix to Serve High-Density Computing
June 21, 2026
Edged US Opens 36MW Zero-Water AI Data Centre in Phoenix to Serve High-Density Computing
Edged US has launched a 36-megawatt high-performance data centre near Phoenix, Arizona, purpose-built to support large-scale artificial intelligence workloads while completely eliminating water usage for cooling. The facility is designed to address the growing tension between surging computational demand and environmental constraints in the drought-stricken U.S. Southwest.
Located in a region already under severe water stress, the site employs advanced thermal technology that removes the need for evaporative cooling. According to the company, this approach will save more than 138 million gallons of water annually compared to conventional data centre designs. The savings are particularly significant in Maricopa County, where prolonged drought and population growth have intensified pressure on water resources.
The facility delivers up to 400 kilowatts per rack, a density that far exceeds typical enterprise data centre standards, and operates with a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.15. This combination of extreme density and efficiency is intended to accommodate the high-performance computing and GPU clusters required for training and inference of large AI models, which have become a major driver of data centre expansion across the United States.
Industry observers note that the Phoenix metro area has emerged as a key hub for AI infrastructure due to its available land, favourable tax policies, and access to renewable energy. However, the region’s chronic water scarcity has forced operators to innovate around cooling methods. Edged US’s zero-water approach could set a precedent for future builds in arid climates, especially as hyperscalers and colocation providers race to bring capacity online.
By combining extreme power density with water-free cooling, the new site aims to support the rapid digital and economic growth of the Southwest without exacerbating local environmental pressures. The company said the facility is now operational and ready to serve tenants requiring high-throughput, low-latency AI compute.
Source: datacentremagazine
