Google's $15 Billion India Data Centre Sparks Water Crisis Fears in Andhra Pradesh

Google's ambitious plan to build its largest data centre hub in India is running into fierce local resistance, as environmental groups and residents in Andhra Pradesh raise alarm over water scarcity, wildlife disruption, and what they call preferential treatment for the tech giant.

Construction Already Underway Despite Legal Challenges

Bulldozers and earthmovers are already reshaping a hillside near Visakhapatnam, cutting the terrain into red-earth terraces as work progresses on the $15 billion project. The initiative has been championed by Andhra Pradesh's state government led by a political ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a landmark investment for the region. But that enthusiasm hasn't stopped a wave of legal and public pushback questioning whether the environmental risks were properly assessed before approval.

"We Cannot Drink Data": Protesters Take to the Streets

Demonstrations have picked up pace in Visakhapatnam, with children and activists marching under banners bearing slogans like "We cannot drink DATA." Protesters have also staged symbolic actions, including painting handcuffs onto Google's logo, and are now planning door-to-door campaigns and beach protests in the days ahead.

At a recent public gathering, Green Visakha founder Raja Rama Mohan Roy argued that economic development shouldn't come at the expense of ordinary residents' livelihoods, pointing to the city's already-strained water system. Local authorities report the city currently receives about 410 million litres of water daily, well short of the roughly 480 million litres needed, a shortfall that has made water rationing routine for the city's 2.5 million residents.

A Global Pattern, With Higher Stakes in India

The backlash in Visakhapatnam mirrors a broader global trend: data centres are increasingly criticised for their massive water and electricity consumption, especially as AI-driven demand accelerates construction. The U.S. saw well over a hundred protests across dozens of states this past July alone. Campaigners argue the concerns are magnified in India, where water infrastructure is already under greater strain than in wealthier nations.

Court Battle Heats Up Over Reservoir Impact

The controversy has now reached the courtroom. Andhra Pradesh's High Court has directed the state government to respond to claims from activist group Jal Biradari (Water Community), which alleges the project will place undue pressure on a nearby reservoir. That case is set to return to court on August 24.

State officials have pushed back hard, describing the activists' claims as inaccurate, while stressing a willingness to engage. A government statement acknowledged protest as a democratic right and pledged to address any claims found to be legitimate with "factual clarifications and suitable redressal."

For its part, Google says the project will comply with all applicable regulations and will rely on advanced air-cooling technology specifically to limit strain on local water resources.

Wildlife Sanctuary Proximity Raises Fresh Concerns

Separately, petitioners have flagged the data centre's closeness to the Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary, home to leopards and pangolins located roughly 860 metres from the construction site. They warn that construction noise and activity could disturb the protected habitat. State officials maintain the project meets all legally required buffer distances, while Google says it will install sound-dampening measures to minimise disruption to the sanctuary.

Adding to the legal pressure, the Human Rights Forum has filed three additional cases before India's environmental court, seeking a halt to construction. The group contends that regulators failed to adequately evaluate the project's effect on a rural drinking-water scheme before granting clearance.

The Adani Connection

The data centre is being developed in partnership with the Adani Group, led by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, and is projected to create up to 188,000 jobs. 

"Who Will Be the Sufferers? The People."

Despite assurances from both the state and Google that no water will be diverted from residential, rural, or reservoir sources, campaigners remain unconvinced, particularly by the government's pledge to guarantee water supply to the project for the next two decades in a city that already can't meet its own demand.

As Roy put it at Sunday's gathering: it's ordinary residents who stand to lose the most if those guarantees strain an already fragile water system.

With Reuters inputs 

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