Google's $15 Billion India Data Center Project Battles Water, Wildlife Concerns (reuters.com)
- Reference: 0184884872
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/08/06/223250/googles-15-billion-india-data-center-project-battles-water-wildlife-concerns
- Source link: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/googles-15-billion-india-data-centre-project-battles-water-wildlife-concerns-2026-08-06/
> The southern state of Andhra Pradesh, governed by an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has hailed the project as historic and transformational, has denied allegations that the project was fast-tracked without weighing risks to water supplies and wildlife. But the growing opposition could become an early test for Google's biggest-ever India investment, which is facing several legal challenges over its impact on water supplies and proximity to a wildlife sanctuary that is home to leopards and pangolins.
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> In recent weeks, activists and children have marched in Visakhapatnam city, holding banners saying "We cannot drink DATA" and painting handcuffs on the Google logo, social media posts show. On Sunday, Reuters attended a public gathering where activists chalked out plans for holding door-to-door awareness campaigns and beach protests in coming days. "Development should not be at the cost of livelihood of the people," Raja Rama Mohan Roy, founder of non-profit Green Visakha said at the event where he presented statistics on Visakhapatnam's stressed water supply and demand.
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> The government says the city receives 410 million liters of water a day from its reservoirs and rivers, against a requirement of 480 million. Rationing of water supplies is common in the city with a population of 2.5 million people. [...] The state's top court on Monday asked the government to defend against allegations leveled by activist group Jal Biradari (Water Community), which says the project will strain water availability by putting stress on a nearby reservoir. The Andhra Pradesh High Court will next hear the public interest litigation on August 24.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/googles-15-billion-india-data-centre-project-battles-water-wildlife-concerns-2026-08-06/
Wha (Score:2)
"while state officials deny that residential or rural water supplies will be tapped."
What's that leave? Are they going to build their own catchments?
Re: (Score:3)
> "while state officials deny that residential or rural water supplies will be tapped."
> What's that leave? Are they going to build their own catchments?
Closed-loop water cooling? Heat pump cooling? Immersion cooling? A lot of things, really.
Companies use water for cooling when it is cheap and plentiful. When it isn't cheap or plentiful, there are plenty of alternatives that don't involve any ongoing water use.
Now if you ask how the construction company is going to build concrete floors without water... that's a different question. :-)
Re: (Score:2)
> Closed-loop water cooling? Heat pump cooling? Immersion cooling? A lot of things, really.
The water has to come from somewhere. They will be using water. Where will the water come from? If they're not getting it from their own catchments then they are literally going to be "tapping" a water supply. I suppose it could be an "industrial" supply, are they putting their DC next to an industrial source of water? Otherwise they will be "tapping" a "residential or rural" water source.
Words have meanings and there's no need to fall over ourselves to defend a multi billion dollar company for abusing them
Re: (Score:2)
They'll follow well established Big Tech methods: Ethically Sourced Children's Tears.
Re: (Score:2)
> Companies use water for cooling when it is cheap and plentiful. When it isn't cheap or plentiful,
the companies seek out the most corrupt jurisdictions, where a government can give them what they want cheaply and in volume by removing it from someone else, who is weaker.
Hence India.
Re: (Score:2)
> Closed-loop water cooling? Heat pump cooling? Immersion cooling? A lot of things, really.
Air cooling. Like my old Volkswagen.
Hope (Score:2)
It's good to see that citizens around the world are rallying against this insanity.
Re: (Score:2)
Common people rallying in separate locations against corporate evilness is good.
But to win, the common people of the world must unite.
They have nothing to lose but their chains, anyway.
All `rules and regulations (Score:2)
This kind of statement reminds me of this litrpg novel I read.
The main character was hired at one point to ride on and do safety tests on a rollercoaster... ...built by goblins. It had a line in it about how they had to make sure it satisfied all goblin safety regulations.
For amusement rides, the goblins' safety regulations had a clear and thoroughly enforced "at least 95% must survive" regulation.
If you are wondering, this particular ride failed the safety tests.
Google says [they] will ... comply with Indian law (Score:2)
Well, that gives me all the confidence I need. So let's start building!
Re: (Score:2)
They probably didn't want to to speak the quiet part out loud, that once their AI data center does all the working, those nearby living carbon units will no longer be required, and their demand for water therefore irrelevant.