Big tech companies are building a lot of data centers across the US, but many Americans think it’s hurting their communities. These facilities use so much energy that they’re causing high utility bills and pollution. They can also be very noisy and have huge water intakes, which sometimes makes taps stop running.
These data centers cost a lot to build and maintain, and some communities are paying the price – literally. One community in Ohio, Jerome Township, has had to deal with 84 emergencies at two Amazon data centers over four years, including a $50 million fire that took first responders for over 24 hours. The town is paying for all of these costs because they agreed to give Amazon a tax break.
Many US cities are experiencing the same problems, with some having multiple data center campuses on their outskirts. These facilities bring in business, but also put pressure on local resources and infrastructure. With the number of new data centers growing rapidly, there’s growing concern about fire safety and who should pay for these costs.
Source: https://futurism.com/future-society/fire-fighters-data-centers