- Fayette County residents faced water restrictions as unmetered corporate consumption continued for several months without anyone noticing.
- County officials discovered hidden data center connections only after pressure complaints escalated locally.
- QTS consumed millions of gallons before authorities recognized unauthorized access to water system
The recent moderate to severe drought in the US state of Georgia put particular pressure on Fayette County’s water resources, prompting local officials to impose conservation measures on homes.
However, homeowners in a nearby subdivision reported unusually low pressure, prompting urgent complaints to authorities, who initially focused on directives to stop lawn watering without revealing the underlying cause.
But the county soon discovered that a massive data center was the real source of the problem, as the Quality Technology Services (QTS) facility, known as Project Excalibur, had been pumping approximately 29 million gallons of water through two connections the county didn’t even know existed.
Unauthorized water use went unnoticed for months
County Water System Director Vanessa Tigert attributed the error to a procedural error during the transition to a cloud-based metering system.
Apparently, his department has only one employee who handles both inspections and plan reviews, and he admitted that they can’t retain staff.
The county and QTS disagreed on how long the water went without measuring: Tigert estimated four months and QTS said between 9 and 15 months.
A resident obtained the utility’s May 2025 letter through a public records request, and the truth finally came to light: namely, that the county had known about QTS’s unmetered connections for months without taking any enforcement action.
Despite the situation, no economic sanctions were imposed and, when asked about the decision, Tigert said political“They are our biggest customer and we have to be partners.”
Fayette County opted for customer service over law enforcement, calling the relationship a partnership rather than a regulatory obligation.
The QTS campus spans 6.2 million square feet across 13 buildings, with plans for up to 16 structures under construction.
The city expects the project to generate between $150 million and $200 million annually in property tax revenue.
QTS denies using water to cool
According to QTS, the 29 million gallons were consumed during temporary construction activities, including concrete work, dust control and site preparation.
It uses a closed-loop cooling system for its operational data centers that recirculates water rather than drawing it from the municipal supply.
Once fully operational, QTS said its facilities would only need water for domestic needs such as bathrooms and kitchens.
QTS owed $147,474 in back charges for unmetered usage, but the county refused to fine the company.
Residents who were told to stop watering their lawns now know exactly where the water went.
Although no fines were imposed, the company paid the overdue bill and the county considered the matter resolved.
Such findings expose vulnerabilities in utility oversight during resource shortages, which could erode public trust when large users evade standard liability.
If QTS were not a major property tax contributor, the county’s response likely would have included financial penalties rather than a waiver of the fine and an association excuse, and the incident reveals how large corporate interests can effectively write their own rules when local governments depend on their revenue.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds.
