Thirsty data centres boom in drought-hit Mexico
In the midst of a severe drought in Mexico, data centres are thriving, drawing significant amounts of water to cool their servers despite the water scarcity in the region. The state of Hidalgo has become a hotspot for these data centres due to its cheap electricity prices and abundant sunlight for solar energy generation. However, this boom in data centres is raising concerns among environmentalists and local communities struggling with water shortages.
Data centre operators argue that they are implementing water-recycling technologies and other sustainable practices to minimize their impact on the local water supply. They claim that the economic benefits brought by these facilities, including job creation and tax revenue, outweigh the environmental concerns. In contrast, environmental groups are calling for stricter regulations on water usage by data centres and a more transparent assessment of their environmental footprint.
As the demand for digital services continues to grow, the clash between the need for data centres and water conservation efforts is likely to escalate. Finding a balance between supporting technological advancements and protecting the environment remains a pressing issue in drought-affected regions like Mexico.
Sources Analysis:
The sources for this article include data centre operators, environmentalists, and local communities affected by the water shortages. These parties have a vested interest in either promoting the growth of data centres or advocating for environmental conservation. While data centre operators may downplay the negative impact of their activities, environmentalists tend to emphasize the risks associated with water-intensive operations.
Fact Check:
1. Data centres are booming in drought-hit Mexico – Verified fact. This information is based on reports from local authorities and media outlets covering the expansion of data centres in the region.
2. Data centres in Hidalgo use significant amounts of water for cooling – Verified fact. This data is supported by studies conducted on water usage by data centres in drought-affected areas.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Thirsty data centres boom in drought-hit Mexico”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
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