Google’s Data Center Plan Raises Water Fears for Broadview

Google’s plan to build a massive data center near Broadview, Montana, has hit a pause button—not because of technology, but because of water. The company is seeking public feedback on its proposal, which could require millions of gallons of water each year to cool the servers that power artificial intelligence and cloud computing. With the public comment period now extended, residents have a rare chance to weigh in on a decision that could shape their community’s future.

What Happened

On October 23, 2026, Google announced it was extending the public comment period for its proposed data center’s water supply near Broadview. The project, part of Google’s ongoing expansion to support AI and cloud services, would require a significant water allotment—potentially as much as 1-5 million gallons per day, based on similar facilities elsewhere. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is overseeing the permitting process, which includes a public input phase as required under the Montana Water Use Act (Title 85, Chapter 2, MCA).

Data centers like the one Google is proposing are the backbone of today’s AI revolution. They house thousands of servers that generate enormous amounts of heat, requiring constant cooling—often with water. Across the U.S., these facilities have drawn attention for their heavy water and energy use, especially in regions already facing drought or strained resources. The extension of the comment period gives Broadview’s 200 residents, as well as nearby farmers and ranchers, more time to voice their concerns or support.

This isn’t just a local issue. Google, along with other tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, has been rapidly expanding its data center footprint nationwide. According to Synergy Research Group, U.S. data center spending topped $20 billion in 2025. As AI use grows, so does the need for more—and bigger—facilities, making water and energy use a growing flashpoint in communities across the country.

How This Affects Everyday People

For families, workers, and farmers in Broadview and nearby Yellowstone County, the stakes are high. Water isn’t just about keeping lawns green—it’s about drinking, cooking, agriculture, and livestock. If a data center draws millions of gallons per day, that could mean less water for crops, wells, and daily life, especially during dry years.

Parents might worry about whether their kids will face water restrictions at home or school. Farmers could see irrigation limits, threatening their livelihoods. Local workers may wonder if the promise of a few dozen tech jobs is worth the long-term risk to the town’s water security. And for students, it’s a real-world lesson in how technology and environmental issues collide—AI isn’t just about chatbots; it’s about the resources needed to run them.

It’s not just speculation. In The Dalles, Oregon, Google’s data centers used over 350 million gallons of water in 2021, prompting the city to renegotiate its water agreements. In Mesa, Arizona, a planned data center by Meta (Facebook’s parent company) drew protests from residents worried about water scarcity. These examples show what can happen when tech expansion meets local needs head-on.

For more on how these facilities affect your area, see AI's water and energy footprint and check AI data centers near you to see if your community could be next.

The Bigger Picture

The Broadview debate is part of a national—and global—reckoning over how much water and energy AI really needs. As more companies race to build the infrastructure for machine learning, language models, and cloud storage, communities from Iowa to Ireland are asking: Who pays the price?

In 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began reviewing water use at large data centers under the Clean Water Act, and several states have considered new rules to require more transparency from tech firms. Yet, there’s no federal standard for how much water a data center can use, or how companies must report it. This regulatory gap leaves local communities to fight their own battles—often with little information about the true impact.

Meanwhile, the AI boom shows no signs of slowing. OpenAI’s GPT-5, Google’s Gemini, and other advanced models require ever-larger server farms. According to a 2024 study by the University of California, Riverside, AI data centers could account for up to 9% of U.S. water withdrawals by 2030 if current trends continue. That’s water not just for computers, but for people, farms, and wildlife.

Public pushback is growing. In 2025, residents in Loudoun County, Virginia—home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers—organized protests and demanded stricter limits on water and energy use. For more on this trend, see why people are pushing back on AI.

What You Can Do

• Submit a public comment: If you live in or near Broadview, use the extended comment period to share your concerns or questions with the Montana DNRC. Your input can influence the final decision.
• Get informed about local water use: Ask your local government or water utility about how much water is available and how big projects might affect supply. For more details, see how much water AI uses.
• Talk to neighbors and local groups: Community meetings, school boards, and farm bureaus are places to discuss the impact and organize a response, whether that’s supporting the project or calling for limits.
• Contact your representatives: Let state and local officials know how you feel about large tech projects using local resources. Ask them to push for transparency and fair use rules.
• Stay alert for similar projects: Use online tools to track new data center proposals in your area and get involved early in the permitting process.

The Bottom Line

Google’s data center plan near Broadview is more than a tech story—it’s a test of how much say regular people have over the resources they depend on. With AI’s hunger for water and energy growing, communities everywhere will face similar choices. The extended public comment period is a chance for everyday people to make their voices heard before it’s too late.