How data centres disrupt the lives of local communities

Every internet search, streamed video and AI-generated response depends on a data centre somewhere. Driven by rapid growth in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and cryptocurrency, data centres have become the backbone of the modern digital economy. But though their key role is in enabling virtual and remote experiences, data centres are physical buildings in real communities around the nation and the globe.

The United States hosts more than 4,000 data centres – more than any other country. The US Department of Energy expects that, taken together, all US data centres will consume as much as 12% of all US electricity by 2028. In 2023, data centres consumed about 4.4% of total U.S. electricity – roughly 176 terawatt-hours.

In the US, Virginia has more data centres than any other state – over 600, two-thirds of which are in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. In 2023, the state’s data centres consumed about 26% of Virginia’s total electricity supply – a higher share than in any other state.

We study science communication, climate science and public health, so we wanted to understand how data centres in Virginia affect the people who live near them and the broader public.

We found that the data centres that already exist affect nearby residents and the nation as a whole in five main areas: air quality, water quality, noise levels, land use and energy costs.

Air pollution

Data centres generally operate 24/7 and consume enormous amounts of electricity, which must be generated somewhere – either near the data centre or farther away.

When fossil fuels are burned to generate that power, they emit a wide range of air pollutants, including those linked to lung disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke and neurological conditions. They also emit heat-trapping pollution that causes global warming and climate change, which, in turn, worsens air pollution further.

Generating power for US data centres in 2023 emitted the equivalent of 2.2% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Other air pollutants emitted from fossil-fuel combustion are associated with increased risk of ADHD and autism in children and risks of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases in older adults.

Unless the energy powering data centres comes from clean energy sources, such as solar, wind or geothermal, generating that electricity also pollutes the air. People who live near fossil-fuel burning power plants, whether in communities that also host data centres or in distant states, are exposed to air pollution. And during electrical outages, on-site diesel generators kick in, releasing large amounts of air pollution that can harm data centre employees and nearby residents alike.

Water consumption and pollution

Data centres require vast quantities of water to cool their servers. Globally, they are projected to consume between 4.2 billion and 6.6 billion cubic meters of water annually by 2027. In the United States, data centres already rank among the top 10 industrial water users.

In northern Virginia, data centre water use has risen sharply. In Loudoun County alone, just northwest of D.C., potable water use by data centres more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, while facilities across northern Virginia consumed nearly 2 billion gallons of water in 2023.

This demand can strain local rivers, aquifers and municipal water systems, even in regions like the mid-Atlantic that are not usually prone to drought, but especially in regions like the US Southwest that face persistent droughts.

Noise pollution

Data centres’ continuous operation means that cooling systems, including air chillers and cooling fans, generate a persistent humming sound around the clock – as do any generators that are in use to provide power.

In northern Virginia, some residents have complained about an industrial-scale “drone” or “hum.” Measurements at the data centres that were the subject of complaints found noise levels were between 40 and 59 decibels on residential property.

Those noise levels are quieter than a conversation with someone 3 feet away and not loud enough to damage people’s hearing or violate local noise ordinances. But they are close to levels the EPA says reduce people’s ability to work, sleep and exercise. Some people have complained that data centre noise has given them trouble sleeping and concentrating, and some have said they avoid using their homes’ outdoor spaces, where the noise is louder.

Land use and community well-being

Data centre expansion often targets land near green spaces, agricultural areas or rural communities where developers can secure affordable land with access to existing electricity supplies.

Converting green space into industrial facilities can diminish health benefits associated with being in and near natural environments, including opportunities for physical activity and improved mental well-being.

In Virginia, residents living near data centre construction have reported increased exposure to truck traffic and diesel exhaust, which can contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular health risks, especially in children and older adults. While these effects are typical of large construction projects, they can be amplified when several data centres are clustered together.

In places like Prince William County, Virginia, developers have proposed data centres on roughly 2,400 acres of undeveloped land in the Rural Crescent, an area designated by the county’s planners to remain relatively undeveloped. Those data centres could transform open space and rural farmland into industrial zones, disrupting communities with long-standing ties to the land.

Rising energy costs

As data centres increase electricity demand, they put upward pressure on energy prices across the grid. A 2024 Virginia legislative report found that the state’s typical residential electricity bill could rise by $14 to $37 per month by 2040 because of grid strain tied to data centre growth – a 9% to 25% increase over current average bills, and a figure that does not factor in potential inflation.

These higher costs are paid by all consumers, but they place a greater burden on families that are most economically distressed, who also tend to have more health problems.

Lower-income families spend a higher share of their budget on electricity, and when bills rise, the consequences can include reduced access to adequate heating and cooling, increased risks of heat-related illness and cold-related cardiovascular stress, as well as difficult choices between paying for energy and food or healthcare.

What can be done

Many of these health harms can be mitigated through better planning and design.

Increasing the share of renewable energy used to power data centres would help reduce air pollution and associated health harms.

Using recycled water in targeted systems that cool individual server rows or racks rather than whole buildings can significantly reduce cooling energy demand, with some studies estimating reductions of up to 29%.

On noise, a Leesburg, Virginia, data centre reduced low-frequency tonal noise by reengineering its fan mounts.

And on energy costs, requiring large-scale data centres to cover more of the grid costs they create could help protect residential customers from higher electricity bills.

The world’s digital infrastructure runs through data centres, and that is not changing. We believe that expanding this infrastructure without protecting the health of surrounding communities is an unacceptable option.

Neha Gour is PhD Candidate in Science Communication, George Mason University.

Ed Maibach is Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Communication, George Mason University.

Luis Ortiz is Assistant Professor of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Earth Sciences, George Mason University.

This article was first published on The Conversation.