The water consumption of AI systems may be as great as the global annual use of bottled water. The environmental impacts of AI systems must be managed. See Alex de Vries-Gao, The carbon and water footprints of data centers and what this could mean for artificial intelligence.
In rural Pennsylvania the majority of families and farms use local wells for all their water needs. If hyperscale data centers (HSDC) deplete the aquifer these farms and rural families cannot thrive.
Pennsylvanians have a constitutional right to clean water. No HSDC should be permitted without a clear declaration of the maximum volume of water it will consume, where that water will be obtained, and a plan to deal with wastewater that does not contaminate groundwater or any source of water in our Commonwealth.
Barbara W. Brandom, MD (retired), Rockwood, Pa., Concerned Health Professionals of Pennsylvania, Committee member