Denver data center continuously waters its lawn even after city announced drought restrictions, enraging residents — it’s unclear if site is breaking the law or using its own recycled water
An AI data center is reportedly watering its lawn despite the area suffering from a drought. One resident said that we can't water our lawns until next summer, but you better believe that they are watering their entire green with so many sprinklers.
Denver's water supply has been dwindling, leading to Stage 1 drought restrictions being enacted by Denver Water starting in August 2026. Commercial properties, including data centers, are permitted to water their lawns only twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, until September 30. Beginning October 1, lawn sprinklers will be prohibited until a Board of Water Commissioners decision is made.
A resident, while out walking their dog, noticed an AI data center near their home was excessively watering its lawn, causing some areas to puddle. This has drawn significant outrage from residents, as they were already experiencing restrictions on their own lawn watering due to the city's drought measures. One resident expressed frustration in a video, stating they can't water their tomatoes until next summer and are appalled by the data center's water usage.
The situation has fueled the already existing apprehension surrounding data centers. Numerous cities have imposed temporary bans and moratoriums on data center development due to concerns over their resource consumption and related environmental impacts such as noise and air pollution. However, the specifics of this particular incident remain unclear.
It is unknown whether the video was filmed on a Tuesday or Friday, as commercial properties are allowed to water their lawns on those days. Additionally, it's possible that the data center is utilizing recycled non-potable water, which Denver Water permits for irrigation any day of the week. It's also conceivable that the site holds a variance from the utility provider, allowing them to water their grass under "special circumstances."
Alternatively, the data center may be in violation of the law. Until further information is available, the extent of the issue cannot be determined based on a single video.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Hardware's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
