Data Center Watch reports that local resistance blocked or delayed $68 billion worth of data center construction between April and June 2026, driven by concerns over water use, electricity demand, land, and noise. Despite this pushback, hyperscalers have poured over $1 trillion into data infrastructure since 2023, with $745 billion more expected this year alone, and total data center investment is still projected to reach $32 trillion by 2050.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-21
A ZDNET reviewer cautions that although many power stations are technically capable of powering large appliances like central air conditioning, electric water heaters, space heaters, and ovens, doing so isn't advisable during outages. The concern is that these heat-producing and high-draw devices can rapidly deplete a power station's limited battery capacity, undermining its usefulness as backup power.
zdnet.com
· 2026-09-16
Researchers collaborating with the Indian government warn that accelerating glacier and snow loss in the Himalayas is destabilizing the water cycle feeding major South Asian rivers. They say this could trigger severe flash floods in the near term, including the kind Nepal has recently experienced, even as the long-term trajectory points toward reduced water supply for the region.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-14
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court's dismissal of a 2022 lawsuit accusing Jackson, Mississippi officials of knowingly exposing residents to lead-contaminated tap water. Trump-appointed Judge Kurt Engelhardt ruled that no constitutional right to clean water or truthful government disclosure during a public health crisis exists, even though plaintiffs claimed city officials withheld information and issued boil-water notices that worsened lead exposure.
wired.com
· 2026-09-12
Petlibro is offering discounts of up to 30% throughout September on its automatic pet feeders, smart water fountains, and litter boxes, timed around what it calls pet hydration month. The promotion includes bundle deals and price cuts across several of its connected pet-care devices.
wired.com
· 2026-09-11
Hitachi Global Life Solutions has unveiled a Y-series of EcoCute CO2 heat pump water heaters for Japan, with sales beginning progressively from November 2026. The flagship BHP-FV37YD and BHP-FV46YD models offer mains-pressure hot water in 370-liter and 460-liter capacities for three-to-five and four-to-six person households respectively, though full efficiency specs remain undisclosed. The key update is broader compatibility with electricity tariffs that reward daytime water heating, selectable directly via the unit's remote controller.
pv-magazine.com
· 2026-09-09
Researchers report that water droplets carrying electric charge erode surfaces more aggressively than neutral droplets upon impact. The finding, published via Nature.com, points to charge as an overlooked factor in droplet-driven erosion processes.
nature.com
· 2026-09-09
A Richmond, VA resident shares their household's emergency preparedness strategy, explaining that they focus on sheltering in place rather than packing go-bags for large-scale disaster scenarios. The plan centers on realistic local risks, particularly water outages, which have hit the city more often than power failures, including two boil-water advisories and a major transmission main break in 2025-2026. Their stockpile includes stored potable and non-potable water plus a makeshift camp toilet for extended outages.
michaelharley.net
· 2026-09-08
A viral video shows a large data center in Denver's Elyria-Swansea neighborhood running sprinklers heavily on its grounds while residents face stage-one drought restrictions limiting lawn watering to two days a week. The facility is believed to be an 18-megawatt, 170,000-square-foot site owned by cloud provider CoreSite, though the tenants using the space haven't been confirmed.
futurism.com
· 2026-09-07
A Bitcoin mining data center in El Reno, Oklahoma, owned by Athlon Blockchain LLC, has been condemned after leaking roughly 3 million gallons of water, prompting closures of schools, businesses, and city and county offices. The facility had reportedly continued construction and operations despite a 2023 city Stop Work Order tied to fire and safety code violations and expired permits.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-06
Waterdrop's M6CG is a countertop reverse osmosis system that filters tap water through eight stages, removing contaminants like fluoride, lead, arsenic, chlorine and PFAS while also using UV light to kill germs. Unlike under-sink systems, it requires no plumbing installation and adds back alkaline minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc, while also offering hot and cold dispensing.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-06
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of a lawsuit accusing Jackson, Mississippi officials of knowingly exposing residents to lead-contaminated water and withholding information about it. Judge Kurt Engelhardt ruled that no federal constitutional right to clean water or truthful government disclosure during a public health crisis exists, even though the plaintiffs called the harm 'grievous.' Jackson, a majority-Black city with high poverty rates, has struggled for years with an aging water system flagged for elevated lead levels since 2015.
motherjones.com
· 2026-09-06
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