Big Tech’s Hidden Water Grab: The Warning Every Town Needs to Hear

In a 2026 city council meeting in Ravenna, Ohio, Will Hollingsworth spoke up. He is a local librarian, programmer, and former digital artist who got replaced by the AI tools he once helped train. He made a clear, fact-based argument against a proposed data center. He said it promises jobs and growth but actually uses millions of gallons of local water every day for cooling. The process releases harmful forever chemicals and threatens the Great Lakes Basin aquifer that serves 50,000 people. Hollingsworth called out company-funded studies, secret agreements, and the way trillion-dollar tech firms demand our water and power for chatbots and AI images while locals pay the price. He said we should protect our water and community for the long term instead of chasing quick tech profits. He ended by saying clean water for children matters more than billion-dollar AI. The video went viral as one of the clearest public arguments against unchecked data center growth. Americans everywhere need to be aware of this and fight against this dystopian future.Manufacturing Dissent exists because of you. We’re independent—powered only by readers and listeners. For less than a coffee, you can join us. Annual memberships are 30% off. Stand with us. Fuel citizen journalism. Keep dissent alive. Get full access to Manufacturing Dissent at mandissent.com/subscribe