**Breaking News: Thirsty AI Sparks Water Crisis in Mexico**

In a shocking revelation, the insatiable thirst of artificial intelligence (AI) for data is exacerbating Mexico’s already dire water crisis. As data centers proliferate in arid regions like the central state of Cetro—where extreme drought has persisted for three years—local communities face an alarming struggle for survival. With the demand for data skyrocketing, these facilities consume staggering amounts of water, threatening to push vulnerable areas over the brink.

A small data center reportedly uses as much water daily as 1,000 households, yet the exact figures remain shrouded in secrecy. Residents in Lasalitera, once reliant on the Lolidad Dam, now receive water only once a week, with the dam’s levels plummeting to a mere 20% capacity. Alinda Perez Jimenez, a local cook, laments the scarcity, revealing that her community is grappling with dwindling resources while data centers operate without restriction.

Experts warn that AI’s water consumption could rival the needs of entire nations by 2027. With the Mexican government promoting Cetro as a tech hub, environmental activists like Teresa Raldan are raising alarms about the long-term consequences of prioritizing data over human needs. “The impact on farms and families is profound,” she asserts, as she witnesses new data centers being built next to communal lands.

While tech giants assure the public they are using more efficient technologies, the lack of transparency raises serious concerns. The Mexican Association for Data Centers aims for 73 facilities by 2029, but without accountability, local communities bear the brunt of a crisis that seems destined to deepen. As water runs scarce, the question looms: can AI’s relentless quest for data coexist with the survival of Mexico’s most vulnerable populations? Time is running out, and the stakes have never been higher.