{"id":2603324,"date":"2026-05-15T17:47:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T21:47:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/outrage-using-enormous-pipes-water-utility-didnt-know-about-ai-data-center-guzzled-30-million-gallons-of-water-for-free\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T17:49:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T21:49:50","slug":"outrage-using-enormous-pipes-water-utility-didnt-know-about-ai-data-center-guzzled-30-million-gallons-of-water-for-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/outrage-using-enormous-pipes-water-utility-didnt-know-about-ai-data-center-guzzled-30-million-gallons-of-water-for-free\/","title":{"rendered":"Outrage: Using Enormous Pipes Water Utility Didn&#8217;t Know About, AI Data Center Guzzled 30 Million Gallons of Water for Free"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">40<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Foutrage-using-enormous-pipes-water-utility-didnt-know-about-ai-data-center-guzzled-30-million-gallons-of-water-for-free%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2603324&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Microsoft\u2019s new AI data center \u201csuperfactory\u201d (fairwater) near Atlanta has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/homeless-nyc-man-appears-in-court-on-hate-crime-charges\/\" title=\"Homeless NYC Man Appears in Court on Hate Crime Charges\">reportedly racked<\/a> up an enormous water bill due to problems that were only identified after nearby residents complained about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/memphis-airport-shut-down-hospitals-struggling-to-maintain-sanitary-conditions-after-water-pipes-burst-due-to-deep-freeze\/\" title=\"Memphis Airport Shut Down, Hospitals \u2018Struggling To Maintain Sanitary Conditions\u2019 After ... Pipes Burst Due To Deep Freeze\">low water pressure<\/a>.Despite Microsoft\u2019s claim that the facility uses a \u201cclosed-loop cooling system\u201d that uses almost no water, a Politico report says investigators found two water lines supplying the QTS-owned site-one installed without the utility\u2019s knowledge and another not tied to the customer account-so the water was being used without proper billing.<\/p>\n<p>The nearly $150,000 water cost is based on about 30 million gallons, according to the report. The issue became public after a May 2025 letter surfaced through a public records request,though time estimates vary on how long the unauthorized use occurred. QTS says the mistake happened during a transition to a new <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >monitoring approach involving smart meters<\/a>, and Fayette County officials reportedly pointed to staffing shortages. QTS later paid the bill, and the county said no fine would be issued, citing the facility\u2019s importance as a major customer.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-republican-says-trump-ushering-in-new-era-for-us-energy-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"House Republican says Trump ushering in \u2018new era\u2019 for US energy - Washington Examiner\">artificial intelligence data center<\/a> was running up a water bill for the ages, and local residents were the ones to point out the problem.<\/p>\n<p>In November, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ajc.com\/business\/2025\/11\/microsofts-newest-ai-superfactory-opens-at-sprawling-fayetteville-campus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Atlanta Journal-Constitution<\/a> reported Microsoft had a new \u201csuperfactory\u201d named Fairwater spanning over 1 million square feet outside of Atlanta.<\/p>\n<p>Chief Technical Officer Mark Russinovich explained why the site is so massive. \u201cTo make improvements in the capabilities of the AI, you need to have larger and larger infrastructure to train it,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The site developer, Quality Technology Services, purchased the plot in 2022 for $154 million.<\/p>\n<p>Ironically, Microsoft claimed the site uses a \u201cclosed-loop cooling system\u201d that \u201cconsumes almost zero water\u201d to operate.<\/p>\n<p>According to a report by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/05\/08\/georgia-data-centers-water-00909988\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Politico<\/a>, the issue wasn\u2019t discovered until residents of a subdivision in Fayetteville, Georgia, started complaining that their water pressure was extremely low.<\/p>\n<p>When the utility company looked into the matter, they found two water lines going to QTS that weren\u2019t in their system.<\/p>\n<p>They determined the facility had used almost 30 million gallons of water valued at close to $150,000.<\/p>\n<p>This information only became public last week when a letter addressed to QTS, written in May 2025, came out via a public records request. The letter did not specify the time period for the water usage. A water official said it was about four months; a QTS representative said it was closer to 9 to 15 months.<\/p>\n<p>According to Politico\u2019s report, one of the two lines was installed without the utility company\u2019s knowledge. The other had never been linked to the QTS account, so no one was getting billed. The company was just getting free water.<\/p>\n<p>A QTS spokesperson said the unauthorized use happened when the system was being switched over to a new monitoring method using smart meters.<\/p>\n<p>Vanessa Tigert, the Fayette County <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/1-dead-after-legionnaires-outbreak-at-ore-senior-home\/\" title=\"1 dead after legionnaires outbreak at Ore. senior home\">water system<\/a> director, attributed the mistake to a lack of staff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust like any water system, we don\u2019t have enough staff. We can\u2019t keep staff,\u201d Tigert commented.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve got one person that\u2019s doing inspections and plan review, and so he\u2019s spread pretty thin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>QTS has since paid the bill, but that shouldn\u2019t clear their name.<\/p>\n<p>For possibly over a year, the facility never bothered to ask why the water bill wasn\u2019t coming in?<\/p>\n<p>Tigert said no fine will be issued. \u201cThey\u2019re our largest customer, and we have to be partners,\u201d she said, defending the decision. \u201cIt\u2019s called customer service.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>James Clifton, an attorney and property rights advocate, expressed displeasure with the situation. \u201cIt\u2019s just frustrating to see them come into our community and run all over us like the citizens don\u2019t matter, and then they\u2019re above the law when they do break it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Government looks incredibly incompetent here, and QTS looks slimy.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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