From Energy Use to Air Quality, the Many Ways Data Centers Affect US Communities

AI tools like ChatGPT, navigation apps and streaming platforms feel effortless, drawing information seemingly from thin air. Yet the infrastructure behind them is anything but invisible.

Across the country, a surge of new data centers is reshaping local energy grids, water systems and land use. This rapid expansion is often happening with limited public information about the long-term impacts — or benefits — new data centers could bring.

Rising power bills and rampant water use tend to be top of mind. Yet it’s increasingly clear that data centers will have impacts far beyond this, with real implications for communities’ well-being.

While the rise in data centers is all but inevitable, the way it happens is not. Data centers power modern life and can bring both investment and jobs. Clear rules on energy procurement, water use, land siting, community engagement and cost recovery will determine whether this growth strengthens local economies and infrastructure — or shifts risks to residents.