Visakhapatnam: Google’s $15 Billion AI Project Sparks Water Concerns

Google’s proposed $15 billion AI data-centre project in Visakhapatnam, being developed in partnership with the Adani Group, has sparked concerns among local residents and environmental activists. The main concerns relate to the potential pressure the large-scale project could place on the region’s already stressed water resources.

Visakhapatnam currently faces a gap between water supply and demand, with around 410 million litres being supplied daily against an estimated requirement of about 480 million litres. Environmental groups have also raised concerns about the possible impact on the nearby Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding ecosystems. Google has said it will use advanced air-cooling technology to help protect local water resources, adopt sound-dampening measures and develop the project in accordance with applicable laws.