Metering Glitch Lets Georgia Data Center Run Up 29 Million Gallons Unbilled
TL;DR
A Fayette County metering lapse let a QTS data-center campus use more than 29 million gallons without billing during a transition to cloud-based meters; retroactive charges of about $147,474 have been issued and paid, with unbilled usage estimated at 4–15 months. The company says the spike was construction-related, and the completed campus will rely on a closed-loop cooling system with minimal long-term water use. The episode has intensified concerns about drought, residential-water pressure, and the growth of data centers, prompting local bans on new centers while officials note the economic potential.
- A data center used 29 million gallons of water without a bill, while residents complained about low water pressure TechSpot
- A data center drained 30M gallons of water unnoticed — until residents complained about low water pressure Politico
- AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use Tom's Hardware
- Georgia Residents Furious After Data Center Quietly Drained 30 Million Gallons of Water: 'It’s Almost as if You Can’t Trust Companies' The Nerd Stash
- Behind Fayette’s QTS Water Controversy: A Missed Meter, 8,000 Workers and a Massive Construction Project Peachtree City Citizen
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