Yes.
Arizona has 164 data centers statewide, outpacing much of the country and ranking 7th nationally, according to Data Center Map, which tracks the centers globally. Most of Arizona’s data centers are concentrated in Maricopa County and surrounding areas, with roughly 10 located in the southern part of the state.
The centers support cloud computing, AI services and other digital‑infrastructure needs, helping attract major tech companies and related jobs to the state. But they’ve also raised concerns about water use, energy consumption and other environmental impacts, especially in drought‑prone areas.
Almost all of Arizona is currently experiencing some level of drought, and many data centers require millions of gallons of water annually for cooling systems. The resulting strain on already limited water resources has sparked debate over whether the industry’s economic benefits outweigh its environmental costs.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs, or quick-response fact checks, about trending claims relating to Arizona.
Sources
- Data Center Map, Data Center Map
- Data centers bring jobs and cash to Arizona. Phoenix could regulate that away | Opinion, Arizona Technology Council
- Report: Over 99 percent of Arizona in some stage of drought, Arizona's family
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The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is partnering with Gigafact to produce timely fact briefs, or quick-response fact checks, about trending claims relating to Arizona.
