Arizona residents push back against water-hungry data centers in desert region

A growing, bipartisan coalition of Arizona residents is opposing new hyperscale data center projects across the state, from Phoenix to Tucson. The facilities would demand large amounts of water, power, and land in a region where water is scarce. Earlier developments, including the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company chip plant that draws nearly 5 million gallons of water daily from Phoenix's municipal supply, were largely welcomed as economic drivers. Developers argue their projects will bring jobs and tax revenue while using less water than critics expect, a claim residents are contesting at packed council meetings.