BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) Artificial intelligence and the infrastructure needed to support it are drawing growing scrutiny in Kern County, where proposed data centers have sparked concerns about water use in already dry communities.
In May, a proposed data center for Inyokern received pushback over how much water is expected to be used to cool the facility.
Critics have pointed to the community’s existing water challenges.
Data center proposed in Inyokern and now Taft (Photo: KUTV)
“The Indian Wells Valley has been classified as being in critical overdraft, meaning that we are using more water than comes back into our land,” said Jennifer Slayton, a Ridgecrest local.
Since that initial report, concerns have continued to build, with residents posting numerous comments online expressing worries about the project.
Ridgecrest City Councilman Skip Gorman said concerns have mounted since May, and that the city of Ridgecrest, the China Lake Naval Base and the Sierra Sands Unified School District have all submitted letters of concern to the California Energy Commission.
Now, another data center has been proposed near Taft, raising new questions about water availability in the region.
Data center proposed in Inyokern and now Taft (Photo: Iron County)
While Taft may not be as water-stressed as Inyokern, Chief Meteorologist Ilya Neyman said water is still limited.
“Taft is in the South Valley portion of Kern County and the South Valley, much like Bakersfield averages about six inches of rain a year,” Neyman said.
He said that amount of rainfall is low enough for the area to be considered a desert.
Data center proposed in Inyokern and now Taft (Photo by Noah Berger/Getty Images via Amazon Web Services)
“Considering that under ten inches is considered a desert environment this is a pretty aired climate,” Neyman said.