Community pushback grows as Microsoft’s St. Joseph County data center sparks debate over water use and long-term costs

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Microsoft is preparing to break ground near St. Joe Farms, south of Granger, Indiana, in St. Joseph County, where it will construct a new data center to meet surging demand for computing power fueled by artificial intelligence. While construction of the data center was approved last year and has already been zoned for development, residents of St. Joseph County have openly voiced their reservations about the project.

In response, Microsoft recently hosted an open house to address community concerns and provide more transparency about the development. The project will span 900 acres of land between Bittersweet Road and Currant Road, with the Indiana Toll Road forming its northern boundary (via WSBT).

However, many residents attended the open house carrying placards, staging…