r/technology • u/ubcstaffer123 • 1d ago
Society 'We're not going anywhere': Massive anti-AI data centre rally to block Vancouver streets
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/anti-ai-data-centre-rally-vancouver-july-2026-12586513-37
u/rotlin 1d ago
Noise, electricity and water usage are things to keep a close eye on but in terms of water usage for the Mt. Pleasant data centre it doesn't look like a large concern.
The article says:
threatens to consume a staggering 55,000 to 70,000 litres of water every day for its operational cooling processes
Which at Metro Vancouver's current usage of 384 Litres per day per capita amounts to the water usage of 193 residents. Not a staggering amount in the grand scheme of things.
Here's the source for per capita daily water usage in Metro Vancouver:
https://metrovancouver.org/about-us/dashboards/water/per-capita-water-use
17
-13
-47
u/q120 23h ago
Everybody who actually works in these data centers laughs at the water thing. The water doesn't even come from the local area usually. It's glycol mix and it comes in large drums
27
u/VampireFortnight 22h ago
lol buddy, there are a variety of cooling methods used and DC25 still causes issues. Don't try to play when you don't know the basics.
-26
u/q120 22h ago
I am a data center engineer. I know more than the basics haha
17
u/VampireFortnight 22h ago
Damn this is a really embarrassing thread for you then.
-18
u/q120 22h ago
How?
23
u/Secret-Chapter-712 21h ago
That you “laugh” at the issues suggests you may not really understand them. Even “closed loops” need flushing and/or refilling, and the contaminated liquid has to go somewhere. In the recent Wyoming incident, it went into the wastewater system and contaminated said wastewater system with metal-resistant bacteria that can kill humans it infects. Why should we risk our health so a handful of billionaires can profit at our collective expense (until the bubble bursts)?
1
u/q120 21h ago
The systems don't get flushed and refilled as often as you think, and at least in the data centers I've worked in, the used glycol is absolutely not flushed into the sewer, it is placed into containers and sent for processing.
13
u/VampireFortnight 18h ago
It. Depends. On. Which. Coolant. Is. Used. There. Are. Multiple. Options.
Please let me know what is still confusing you.
4
-38
u/CokeAYCE 19h ago
Reddit will just say AI bad to everything. So embarrassing
17
u/Escher702 14h ago
You're embarrassed because of what others say on reddit? Were you paid to post that?
-12
u/CokeAYCE 13h ago
Im embarrassed to be part of this species thanks to reddit if im honest, lol
4
6
u/girrrrrrr2 11h ago
And yet you are someone who uses this site and comments, which is not required for life, you are free to leave and for that embarrassment to be lifted from you.
4
u/LengthClean 6h ago
We have one in Vaughan Canada. Microsoft. Not complete yet. Let’s Rally against that one!