In an interview with Water Daily, Protect Our Aquifer executive director Sarah Houston said xAI’s plans have triggered worries about a drinking water supply sourced directly from the Memphis Sand Aquifer.Elon Musk’s xAI artificial intelligence company recently brought the world’s most powerful supercomputer to Memphis, marking a new era of innovation for the region. In fact, the multi-billion dollar Colossus computer is the largest capital investment by a new-to-market company in Memphis history, according to city officials.
Yet, not everyone is excited about the news, namely Memphis conservationists concerned about the water and power demands of the large-scale data center. Research from local environmental groups like Protect Our Aquifer found that Musk’s supercomputer will need up to 1.5 million gallons of water daily for its cooling towers.
Protect Our Aquifer – in a joint statement with fellow environmental organizations Memphis Community Against Pollution and Young Gifted and Green – expressed its concern about xAI’s impact on the city’s electricity, water usage and air quality.
“Data centers in general use a lot of electricity and water,” the statement said. “This growing trend for commuting power has major tech companies looking for locations with access to reliable power and a plentiful water supply. We’re not sure Memphis is prepared for the world’s largest supercomputer without compromising residents’ access to power and water.”
In an interview with Water Daily, Protect Our Aquifer executive director Sarah Houston said xAI’s plans have triggered worries about a drinking water supply sourced directly from the Memphis Sand Aquifer. Though depletion is not an issue – the prolific aquifer is a point of civic pride – continued pumping could contaminate the existing supply, she said.
As the data center draws water from the Davis Wellfield in southwest Memphis – an industrial area encompassing a power plant and wastewater treatment facility – there’s risk of impacting a shallow aquifer above the Davis Wellfield. The shallow aquifer contains arsenic, and increased water extraction could potentially draw this toxic element into the city’s drinking water.
With xAI intending to expand the size of its supercomputer to 1 million GPUs – per a report from the Memphis Chamber of Commerce – the utility Memphis Light, Gas, & Water (MLGW) is seeking to accelerate construction of a grey water treatment facility to supply cooling water for the company.
The proposed reuse facility, long supported by local environmental entities including Protect Our Aquifer, would be a “major win” for the region, said Houston. However, Houston will continue advocating for the use of alternative water sources to cool the data center.
“How do we determine the value of this asset, and not just keep the same message (to corporations), which is ‘Come and take it,’” she said. “We have three rivers running through Shelby County, and we’re on the banks of the Mississippi River. We have water all around us, so the goal should be to preserve the pristine quality of our aquifer for drinking water and potable uses.”
Creating a burden
In a statement released last June, MLGW said the pending grey water complex will reduce aquifer demand not only for xAI, but future commercial and industrial users as well.
“We are pleased that we were able to help catalyze this significant investment and transformational project for our community,” said utility president and CEO Doug McGowen in the release. “More importantly, MLGW will meet the company’s utility needs without putting our power grid or water resources at risk.”
Houston of Protect our Aquifer said the reuse facility would secure drinking water quality, while serving as a boon for industries not required to meet drinking-water standards. Reclaimed wastewater typically undergoes treatment to remove contaminants that could otherwise “gunk up” cooling water recirculation systems and other sensitive machinery.
Even with grey water infrastructure in place, Houston remains skeptical about the supercomputer project – she points to reporting from The Washington Post about water quality violations deriving from various Musk companies in Texas.
A water drawdown of over 1 million gallons daily at xAI may put additional strain on city infrastructure that, over the last several years, has been tried by unusually intense winter storms, said Houston.
“We had a deep freeze in late January, so the (electric utility corporation) Tennessee Valley Authority had to put out a water conservation alert,” Houston said. “Just from a wide-scale situation, we are over drafting the bank account, and pumping more water from the aquifer than is being naturally replenished. We might start drawing down on the shallow aquifer, or surface water bodies that come with a lot more pollutants and contaminants.”
Given the significant water and electricity consumption of data centers, Houston wonders what other impacts the supercomputer facility will have on residents. For instance, the high-tech complex needs 150 MW of power, enough to light 100,000 homes, according to Protect Our Aquifer. In the short term, the company is generating power through gas turbines that have increased air emissions in nearby neighborhoods.
Campaign group the Southern Environmental Law Center has written to the Shelby County Health Department stating that it believes 18 generators on the site, in the Boxtown area of South Memphis, require permits.
“We’re worried about these turbines running 24/7,” said Houston. “They’re supposed to be turned off by April.”
Protect Our Aquifer is currently educating consumers about Memphis’ water infrastructure. “Water Wednesday” happy hours bring together residents passionate about a clean drinking future, while superfund site tours emphasize the dangers facing the region’s water resources.
In the meantime, Houston’s group and its partners are focused on safeguarding an unparalleled natural resource that spans over 7,000 square miles across eight states.
“Memphis is a water-rich place – as water gets more scarce, we’re going to become an attractive area,” Houston said. “We must implement common sense rules and best practices to maintain our aquifer for a sustainable future.”
