**[U.S. Data Center Water Consumption Could Quadruple, Multiple Regions Tighten Construction Approvals]** According to monitoring by Beating Insights, the Kansas Health Institute released a report outlining the water, electricity, and public health pressures brought about by the expansion of AI and data centers. The report cites estimates from the U.S. Department of Energy Laboratory, stating that U.S. data centers directly consumed approximately 17 billion gallons of water in 2023, which could increase two to four times by 2028. Large data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water daily, primarily for cooling purposes. Regions facing water shortages bear even greater pressure. In 2021, one-fifth of U.S. data centers were already located in areas with strained water resources. Some facilities rely on municipal drinking water for over half of their water usage, while indirect water consumption during power generation is not included in the commonly used metrics for data center water usage. Local governments have begun imposing restrictions. Last year, Tucson, Arizona, rejected a data center project linked to Amazon, as it could have become the city's largest water consumer. This year, Kansas City required new projects to undergo city council approval and assess their impact on water resources and residents' electricity bills. [Original Link]