PHOENIX — Arizona is staring at nearly a one-third cut in its Colorado River allotment over the next two years at the same time nearly 50 data centers are built or planned across the state.
Attorney General Kris Mayes highlighted the clash Wednesday at a Mesa town hall on AI facilities. She said data centers can use tens or hundreds of millions of gallons of water a year for cooling, and that new power plants built to serve them also draw water. One 2025 analysis she cited estimated greater Phoenix data-center water demand could rise more than 450% if every planned project is completed.
Air-cooled designs avoid some water use but can heat nearby neighborhoods. An Arizona State University study found data centers can raise local temperatures by as much as 4 degrees Fahrenheit, which can push up air-conditioning demand and power bills.
Mayes is pressing for a pause on new approvals and said she is investigating the MenLo Digital project in Ahwatukee. City and state officials have not announced a statewide moratorium. Residents and utility planners say the next few years will test whether Arizona can grow its tech industry without emptying the Colorado River bargain that underpins Valley growth.
Sources: Courthouse News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: NPS / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
