Meta executives detail data center strategy: responding to water resources and community controversies

In an interview released on Thursday, Meta's Vice President of Data Centers Rachel Peterson elaborated on the considerations behind the company's large-scale data center construction and sought to ease growing opposition across the United States. The interview was released as Meta faces increasing community resistance to its data center projects nationwide.

In the 16-minute interview, Peterson introduced Meta's evaluation process for data center site selection and development, and emphasized the company's goal of bringing long-term benefits to local economies.

The 'Personal Superintelligence' Vision Drives Computing Demand

Peterson first discussed Meta's goal of providing 'personal superintelligence for everyone.' She stated that this vision requires massive data processing capabilities to support its artificial intelligence ambitions.

Peterson explained her personal understanding of 'personal superintelligence': 'Having the best experts who understand your unique preferences, your unique way of working, and are tailored to you to make you the most productive and effective person you can be.' To achieve this goal, Meta's AI tools need ample data processing capacity to deliver this personalization and utility at scale.

Data Center Expansion and Investment Commitments

This is why Meta is accelerating its data center construction. The company has committed more than $600 billion to U.S. data center projects over the next three years. Peterson said that most of Meta's data center development work has been initiated within the past two years as the company accelerated project timelines.

Controversy and Negative Impacts

However, these projects have also brought negative impacts in some areas. In Morgan County, Georgia, Meta's data center project led to water pollution and utility impacts, prompting Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to call for action to restrict development. In Fayetteville, Georgia, Politico reported that an AI infrastructure project consumed 30 million gallons of unmetered water, affecting local residents. Meanwhile, in Northern Virginia, data center projects in Loudoun and Fairfax counties used nearly 2 billion gallons of water in 2023, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The project has forced local water utilities to increasingly rely on drinking water rather than recycled water for cooling.

Community resistance to data centers has led to a significant decline in support for these projects, despite the long-term economic benefits demonstrated by Meta and other companies.

Public Opposition and Policy Restrictions

According to a recent report by TIME magazine, only one-third of Americans approve of the pace of data center construction. On the other hand, more than 300 cities, towns, and counties have implemented bans or moratoriums on hyperscale data center construction.

On July 18, a national day of protest against data centers saw 142 protests across 42 states.

Meta's Response and Community Strategy

In terms of limiting negative impacts, Peterson said that Meta's data center site selection evaluation process includes examining factors such as electricity, water resources, and labor availability to achieve the most efficient construction.

Peterson also discussed Meta's community engagement. She said that communities 'must be places where we are rooted for 20 years, which means we want to be part of the community.' Peterson stated that Meta is committed to restoring more water than it actually consumes and works with grid providers in data center locations to secure the resources it needs while minimizing impacts on local residents.

Peterson added that Meta's infrastructure support work has sometimes actually lowered utility costs in certain data center areas because it has helped improve the efficiency of local power grids.

'I think this is a misconception people might have about us and other data centers—that we come in and take more than our fair share and pass costs on to others, when in reality, our investments often help improve grid reliability and reduce costs that might otherwise be passed on to everyday residential consumers,' Peterson said.

Peterson also said that Meta's data centers are designed as closed-loop systems, meaning they do not discharge waste, and the water usage of its facilities is 'very minimal.'

This is the latest step in Meta's broader public relations efforts to address concerns about its data center projects, aiming to maintain community support and pave the way for its initiatives.

In June, Meta launched a new program called the 'American Workforce Academy,' through which the company will partner with a range of construction-related organizations to provide training and employment opportunities to people in areas where data processing infrastructure is being built.

Taken together, Meta hopes these efforts will alleviate concerns and win more support for its development approach. However, as more regions continue to report concerns about data center development, the company may still face additional resistance.