Meta is pressing forward with one of its largest U.S. developments yet: a 4-million-square-foot artificial intelligence data center in Richland Parish, Louisiana. The facility, costing an estimated $10 billion, will be as large as 70 football fields and promises thousands of jobs.
State officials have hailed the project as a “transformational investment” for the region’s economy, highlighting potential opportunities in construction and high-paying tech positions. But even as the social media giant promotes its benefits, questions about resource consumption and long-term costs are stirring debate in communities already touched by similar projects.
Georgia’s Lessons: Water Supply Strains
In Newton County, Georgia, where Meta began building a $750 million data center in 2018, nearby residents say they have paid a steep price. Families living close to the site reported that their well water changed significantly after construction started.
Beverly and Jeff Morris, who live about 1,000 feet from the facility, said their appliances repeatedly failed due to sediment buildup in their water. The couple now relies on a single working bathroom, which they share with their adult son. Their neighbor, Chris Wilson, said water pressure dropped and that he must change his filters monthly to keep water flowing. At times, he said, the water runs so brown “you’d think it came from a creek,” according to The New York Times.
Meta, however, disputes the connection. The company says its Georgia facility does not use local groundwater and instead sources water for construction from more than 10 miles away. It also points to independent studies suggesting its activities are unlikely to have affected residential wells.
How Much Water Do Data Centers Use?
Experts say the residents’ experiences reflect a broader issue: data centers require vast amounts of water to keep servers from overheating. On average, a single facility can use 500,000 gallons of water a day. Reports show Meta’s site near Atlanta consumes about 10% of Newton County’s total daily water supply.
Hydrologists caution that as tech companies expand into rural areas, utilities could struggle to keep up. “Water is an afterthought,” said Newsha Ajami, director of urban water policy at Stanford University. She warned that companies often move forward with projects without a clear long-term plan for local water systems.
Meta’s Sustainability Efforts
Meta maintains that it has invested heavily in making its centers more sustainable. The company says it relies on water-efficient cooling systems that reuse water multiple times, captures rainwater for operations, and uses natural vegetation to lower irrigation demands.
It has also pledged to restore more water than it consumes worldwide by 2030 and claims to offset its electricity use with renewable energy purchases.
Still, critics argue that such promises don’t erase the strain that large facilities place on small communities with limited infrastructure.
Powering Louisiana’s Facility
The Louisiana center will require enormous energy resources. To meet demand, the Public Service Commission approved three new natural gas turbines capable of generating over two gigawatts of power. The approval came through a fast-tracked process, drawing criticism from environmental groups and some residents who argued that the deal was rushed with limited public input.
The decision passed in a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Davante Lewis opposing it. He cited concerns about transparency and whether residents had enough information about long-term costs, energy needs, and job creation.
Who Should Bear the Costs?
Utility provider Entergy Louisiana has said Meta will directly cover the infrastructure costs needed to serve the facility. It also claimed that Meta’s payments will help reduce customer bills by roughly 10% and lower storm-related surcharges.
However, documents show that nondisclosure agreements shield much of the financial arrangement from public view. Critics worry that if Meta scales back or withdraws from the project in the future, residents may be stuck paying for decades of infrastructure upkeep, including a $550 million transmission line funded by all ratepayers.
Meta has agreed to pay for about half of the turbine costs during the first 15 years of a 30-year period, but the public would remain responsible for the rest.
Tax Breaks and Accountability
Adding to concerns, Meta is exempt from paying Louisiana’s sales tax under existing state law. The Associated Press estimated this could cost the state tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue each year.
For opponents like Commissioner Lewis, the combination of tax breaks, limited transparency, and long-term resource demands leaves residents with unanswered questions about whether the trade-offs are worth it.
