40 million people at risk as data center water use rises in the Colorado River basin

Federal officials have months to decide how to divide Colorado River flows that supply about 40 million people, and the article reports rising water demand from hyperscale data centers alongside large agricultural water use in Colorado.

Federal officials face a deadline in the coming months to decide how to allocate flows from the Colorado River among the seven basin states. About 40 million people rely on the river for drinking water. The article reports that hyperscale data centers, driven by increased AI demand, are contributing to growing regional water use. It also cites analysis showing substantial water use by large agricultural operations in Colorado. Known points: - Federal officials are due to decide how to divide Colorado River flows among the seven basin states within months. - About 40 million people rely on the Colorado River for drinking water. - The article reports that hyperscale data centers can require water at scales comparable to a town of roughly 50,000 residents and that national data center water use has grown markedly in recent years. - Analysis cited in the article notes large agricultural water use in Colorado, including an estimate of 394 billion gallons for alfalfa farms in 2025 and 6.9 billion gallons for mega-dairies in 2022. Summary: Federal allocation decisions in the coming months will intersect with increasing water demand reported from both large-scale data centers and major agricultural operations. How those demands are weighed in the allocation process is not yet determined.