{
  "id": 10944230,
  "title": "Africa's data centers prompt water consumption fears",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/africas-data-centers-prompt-water-consumption-fears",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-30T12:57:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Semafor",
    "slug": "semafor",
    "url": "https://www.semafor.com/article/09/30/2026/africas-data-centers-prompt-water-consumption-fears"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Data centers in Africa are raising concerns about their water consumption, with a recent petition to the South African Human Rights Commission highlighting the issue. The country already has 60 data centers and is facing drought due to climate change. Large data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water per day. A study found that producing a 10-page paper using the AI model ChatGPT-4 requires up to 60 liters of water, equivalent to one standard washing machine cycle. While water usage by data centers is a global concern, Africa is especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Michael Marchant, head of investigations at the civil society group Open Secrets, emphasized the risk of these resource-intensive sites being overlooked.",
  "summary": "A petition by civil society groups to South African authorities highlighted concerns over a lack of awareness around data center water consumption.",
  "key_points": [
    "Africa has 60 data centers facing water consumption concerns.",
    "Data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water daily.",
    "AI model ChatGPT-4 requires up to 60 liters of water for a 10-page paper."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}