sustainable infrastructure water scarcity California data centers data center water usage Imperial Valley tech industry water consumption California utilities data center regulations

In Imperial, California, a quiet city roughly 115 miles east of San Diego, a contentious debate is unfolding over the construction of a new data center. For some, the issue first appeared as white “Not In My Backyard” signs in front yards. For others, it was an “electric service application” filed with local irrigation district workers. For Margie Padilla, a 43-year-old mother of two, it was a Facebook post.

Padilla stumbled upon the online complaint last spring after a day of gardening and caring for her children. “Somebody was complaining about this center,” she said. “I was like, ‘Whoa, what’s going on here?’” What she discovered was the second-largest new data center proposed statewide—one that would sit less than half a mile from her stucco home in Imperial Valley.

If completed by 2028, as developer Sebastian Rucci expects, the facility could become California’s largest operating data center. Spanning at least 950,000 square feet across two stories, the project would cover 17 football fields. The $10 billion, 330-megawatt data center would require 750,000 gallons of water daily to operate, according to Rucci, who claims the project’s electricity and water costs won’t burden local residents.

“We have studies on the air. We have studies on the water. The electricity could be handled. We did our homework.”
— Sebastian Rucci, developer

However, Imperial officials have not addressed concerns about the project’s long-term impact on local utilities. They note that litigation is ongoing and that the center’s effects on water and power systems remain undetermined.

Padilla, who first heard of the data center a year ago, has grown increasingly worried about the financial strain it could place on her family. Between rising grocery, gas, and healthcare costs, she fears the data center will drive up water and electricity rates. “I can only imagine the rates going up once that data center is up and running,” she said, squinting against the desert sun.

Her concerns reflect a broader unease among residents. Some would live within sight of the facility’s backyards. Imperial’s situation is not unique—it’s one of two dozen data centers expected to open in California in the next few years.

Growing Public Concern and Regulatory Gaps

A nationwide poll by the US Water Alliance’s Value of Water campaign found that 54% of respondents are extremely or very concerned about data centers’ impact on water quality, supply, and costs in their communities. In the poll’s first question about data centers since its inception in 2016, two-thirds of voters emphasized the need for state-level plans to address these concerns in the coming years.

“I suspect that as data centers continue to be part of the broad conversation, then these numbers will probably continue to [rise],” said a spokesperson for the campaign.

California’s Data Center Expansion: Key Facts

  • The proposed Imperial data center would be the second-largest new facility in California and could become the largest operating data center in the state.
  • If completed, the 950,000-square-foot, 330-megawatt facility would require 750,000 gallons of water daily.
  • The project is valued at approximately $10 billion and is expected to be operational by 2028.
  • Residents like Margie Padilla fear the data center will drive up local water and electricity costs.
  • A majority of Americans (54%) are concerned about data centers’ impact on water resources, according to a US Water Alliance poll.
Source: Grist
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