Google is a “water vampire” of Oregon town.

According to government documents provided following a lengthy legal battle, Google continues to consume nearly one-third of the total water utilized in a drought-stricken Oregan county.

The data was revealed following a 13-month legal battle between The Oregonian/OregonLive and the city of The Dalles.

It revealed that the search giant consumed almost 1.2 billion liters of water in Dalles county alone during 2021, which is significantly more than the amount consumed in other counties.

According to the site, the city of Oregon is home to a huge Google data center and has been awarded tax advantages to grow its presence.

“I don’t believe that the best interests of the wider community have been in mind. It was more of a short-term financial transaction… merely to get Google in.

 “And then Google’s become a water vampire,” Dawn Rasmussen, who lives in an unincorporated section of Wasco County outside of the city limits, told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

However, its water consumption has recently come under criticism due to a severe drought in the western portions of the country.

The county is classified as being in “severe drought” in up to 98 percent of its areas.

However, the city declined to release the media outlet with the water usage data, claiming it was a trade secret that is not subject to disclosure under state public records law.

However, after a year-long court struggle, the Wasco County district attorney permitted the release of the details.

“The information itself is of the greatest public interest,” said Ellen Osoinach, the RCFP attorney who defended The Oregonian/OregonLive in the case, according to The Register.

“This is a finite, common resource, and the West is experiencing a drought,” Osoinach explained.

“There are data centers all across the country, including here in Oregon, and the quantity of water they consume is critical for all water consumers.”

Concerns have been expressed regarding Google’s increased water usage as it plans to expand when the city is experiencing a water crisis.

According to The Oregonian, the tech giant’s water consumption at its Dalles facilities has roughly tripled in the last five years, and it now claims to consume more than a quarter of all water utilized in the city.

“If data center water use doubles or triples over the next decade, it will have serious consequences for fish and wildlife on source water streams, as well as potentially serious consequences for other water users in the Dalles area,” John DeVoe, executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group WaterWatch, told The Register.

Source: Independent

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