Fairwater’s Water Footprint Under Scrutiny

Microsoft’s Fairwater AI data center campus in Mount Pleasant uses closed-loop cooling, which limits routine onsite replenishment, but its broader water footprint also includes water consumed through electricity generation.

Racine records indicate permitted or expected use of roughly 2.8 million gallons in 2026, potentially rising toward 8.4 million gallons as the campus expands. The dispute is increasingly centered on transparency, indirect water accounting, utility impacts, and the adequacy of environmental review.