#322 Erin Brockovich - Will AI Data Centers Secretly Drain America’s Water Supply?

Episode of The Shawn Ryan Show · July 16, 2026 · 2 h 15 min

Erin Brockovich tells Shawn Ryan about AI data centers' impact on water, energy, health and communities, and the grassroots opposition her crowdsourced map documents.

Summary

Environmental advocate Erin Brockovich joined Shawn Ryan to discuss the rapid expansion of AI data centers across the United States. She described launching a self-reporting registry and map about ten weeks earlier after receiving roughly 30 emails from one town; she said it had since drawn about 12,000 submissions, with 8,000 to 9,000 pinned, and reports from 11 other countries. Brockovich argued that data centers deplete aquifers and municipal water, may release PFAS-laden coolant without oversight, raise utility bills, strain an aging grid, and generate constant noise that residents link to mental health complaints, livestock problems and other symptoms.

Brockovich said communities were angered chiefly by non-disclosure agreements that let projects pass local councils in secret, and she cited growing resistance: about 14 states considering bans or moratoriums, a ban in San Marcos, Texas, Monterey Park's ban in California, a scaled-back Kevin O'Leary project in Utah, and Blackstone's QTS dropping its Virginia Supreme Court appeal. Ryan read figures on water and electricity use, the Ratepayer Protection Pledge and inflation estimates, and argued that corporations buy off politicians of both parties. Brockovich said the issue was the most bipartisan she had seen in 30 years and urged listeners to organize locally, citing mothers in Hannibal, Missouri, who secured a chloramine ban.

Brockovich also used L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a political allegory for public complacency and awakening, recounted how attorney Ed Masry overcame a statute-of-limitations problem in the Hinkley case, and invoked the Ford Pinto case to argue that upfront safety investment is cheaper than litigation. She read an email purportedly containing a letter written by Google's Gemini criticizing corporate AI liability scripts, noting it had not yet been verified, and shared her late father's prediction that water would become more valuable than gold or oil.

Chapters

0:05
Origins of the data center map
Brockovich explains how emails from one town led her to create a self-reporting data center map that quickly drew thousands of submissions nationally and internationally.
7:25
Chemicals, glyphosate and cancer
The pair discuss PFAS in data center coolant, microplastics, and Ryan's criticism of glyphosate liability protections.
13:51
The Wizard of Oz allegory
Brockovich recounts the political allegory of L. Frank Baum's book as a parable of public complacency and awakening.
24:28
Local councils and non-disclosure agreements
Ryan and Brockovich discuss captured city councils, secret NDAs, and emerging state and local moratoriums.
32:00
Water, utility bills, noise and health
Brockovich details reported water depletion, discolored water, rising bills, grid strain, constant noise, and reported health and wildlife effects.
43:04
Corporate power and community wins
Ryan reads project details and statistics while Brockovich lists states considering bans and recent local victories.
1:01:28
Alternatives, regulation and asking AI
They discuss the AI race, China's undersea data centers, small nuclear reactors, regulation, and an AI response about siting data centers.
1:22:04
Ford Pinto and the cost of cutting corners
Brockovich argues that upfront safety investment beats the rising cost of litigation.
1:30:27
How to get involved: Hannibal, Missouri
Brockovich advises citizens to organize locally and recounts mothers in Hannibal who won a chloramine ban.
1:35:38
Corporate accountability and the Hinkley case
Prompted by a question about the Sacklers, Brockovich discusses criminal liability and recounts overcoming the statute of limitations in Hinkley.
1:45:14
The Gemini letter
Brockovich reads an email purportedly containing a letter written by Gemini criticizing corporate AI liability scripts.
2:00:42
Her father's legacy and closing thoughts
Brockovich shares her father's prediction about water and stewardship and closes by urging people to show up.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Erin Brockovich
Brockovich said her data center map had received about 12,000 submissions within ten weeks, with 8,000 or more vetted and pinned.
“12,000 submissions. I updated the map last night, and we've now pinned it. 8,000 submissions. So we read each submission and we vet its location”
Listen from 3:59 · Brockovich Data Center Map
Linked moment · 7:54Skip to 7:54 using a listen link in the info box.
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich said whistleblowers report that data centers use PFAS in coolant and that there is no regulation of its disposal.
“they're using PFAS in the coolant, and then that has to be disposed of”
Listen from 7:54 · Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
Shawn Ryan
Ryan criticized the administration for granting glyphosate makers immunity despite campaigning on making America healthy.
“Then they give immunity to the foreign glyphosate companies and call it a national security concern”
Listen from 9:51 · Glyphosate
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich said she treats AI as a tool and often finds its answers inaccurate.
“use AI for the good tool that it is. It isn't be all, end all, know all, everything”
Listen from 20:11 · Artificial intelligence
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich said about 14 states were considering bans, moratoriums or pauses on new data centers.
“you now have up to 14 states that are considering total bans, moratoriums, they're putting on pauses, hold your horses, we need more information”
Listen from 27:49 · Data center moratoriums and bans
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich argued that the secrecy of NDAs was the top grievance of communities across every state reporting to her map.
“If there's no big secret, then why do you need a nondisclosure? And that was what was bothering every community in every state that has submitted”
Listen from 28:14 · Non-disclosure agreements in local government
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich said insiders report that waste from cleaned closed cooling systems is being dumped into sewers without oversight.
“I'm getting whistleblowers on the inside saying that they're taking all that waste and they're just running it down into the sewers”
Listen from 35:25 · Environmental impact of AI data centers
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich reported residents describing sharply higher utility bills they attribute to data centers.
“I have people saying their utility bills have gone from water bill from $40 a month to $800 a month”
Listen from 38:30 · Electric grid strain and utility rates
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich said residents near operating data centers report constant humming noise they say harms their mental health.
“The constant 24-7 noise. humming and buzzing is literally driving them insane. There are starting to be reports of mental health issues”
Listen from 40:26 · Environmental impact of AI data centers
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich relayed claims from others that current data centers could be obsolete within five years and left abandoned.
“this type of data center will be obsolete in five years and then we'll just abandon them and have, you know, what, thousands of little mini Chernobyls”
Listen from 44:18 · Environmental impact of AI data centers
Shawn Ryan
Ryan argued that local politicians cannot resist the financial influence of the world's most powerful corporations.
“What local politician is going to be able to stand up against that or resist that kind of a bribe?”
Listen from 46:06 · Non-disclosure agreements in local government
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich reported that San Marcos became the first Texas city to fully ban new data centers.
“San Marcos just made history by becoming the very first city in all of Texas to completely and fully ban new data centers”
Listen from 55:15 · Data center moratoriums and bans
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich reported that Blackstone's QTS dropped its Virginia Supreme Court appeal to build the world's largest data center after local opposition.
“After three years of local opposition, Blackstone's QTS has dropped its Virginia Supreme Court appeal to build the world's largest data center”
Listen from 56:03 · Data center moratoriums and bans
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich argued that companies would earn more long-term by investing in safety upfront rather than paying escalating litigation costs.
“these environmental lawsuits aren't settling anymore for $333 million. These big fire cases are settling for $35 billion”
Listen from 1:27:27 · Ford Pinto
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich recounted that Hannibal mothers organized, one won a council seat, and a referendum and state bill ended chloramine use.
“she wrote legislation, introduced it to the state of Missouri, and they passed a bill and banned chloramines”
Listen from 1:33:35 · Chloramination in Hannibal, Missouri
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich said PG&E told Hinkley residents their water contained natural chromium, concealing that it was toxic hexavalent chromium.
“PG&E had told everybody in Hinkley that there was chromium in their water, a natural element. Chromium-6, however, is a man-made chemical, and it's highly toxic”
Listen from 1:38:47 · Hinkley groundwater contamination
Erin Brockovich
Brockovich called this the most bipartisan environmental issue she had seen in 30 years of work.
“that's why I've never seen a bipartisan issue like this in 30 years ever”
Listen from 2:05:12 · Environmental impact of AI data centers

People

In the conversation

Shawn RyanFormer U.S. Navy SEAL and CIA contractor, host of the Shawn Ryan Show
Erin BrockovichAmerican environmental advocate, consumer activist, and author known for the Hinkley PG&E groundwater contamination case

Discussed

L. Frank BaumAmerican author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Kevin O'LearyCanadian investor and TV personality who previously appeared on the show
Ed MasryCalifornia attorney who led the Hinkley case against PG&E
Roberta WalkerHinkley, California resident and early plaintiff in the PG&E case
William Jennings BryanUS Secretary of State who resigned after the sinking
Bernie SandersU.S. Senator from Vermont who discussed mail-in ballots before the 2020 election
Peter BergFilmmaker behind the series Painkiller
Julia RobertsActress who portrayed Brockovich in the film Erin Brockovich
Michael BurryInvestor known for predicting the 2008 financial crisis
Greg AbbottRepublican governor of Texas

Topics

From the publisher

Erin Brockovich is an environmental advocate, consumer activist, and author who rose to national prominence after helping expose one of the largest groundwater contamination cases in U.S. history involving Pacific Gas & Electric. Her investigation led to a landmark $333 million settlement and inspired the Academy Award-winning film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts. For more than three decades, she has investigated environmental contamination, corporate misconduct, and public health issues, working alongside communities to hold powerful corporations accountable. Today, she is focused on the rapid expansion of AI data centers, raising awareness about their impact on water resources, energy infrastructure, and local communities while leading a nationwide initiative to track data center development. She is also the author of several books, including Superman's Not Coming, which explores America's water crisis and the importance of protecting one of our most essential resources. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: Go to https://moinkbox.com/SRS to get free chicken wings in every box for a year as long as you’re a paying customer. New customers can save 35% on your first month of Dose for Cholesterol by going to https://dosedaily.co/SRS or entering SRS at checkout. Go to https://rorra.com/SRS for an exclusive discount on the Rorra Countertop System and tap into clean water today. Try Gusto today at https://gusto.com/SRS and get three months free when you run your first payroll. Go to https://ladder.fit/SRS to take a quick quiz and get a free 7-day trial with no credit card and $10 off your first month when you join. Shopify: Stop waiting for permission to build something. Your next revenue stream starts free at https://shopify.com/srs Erin Brockovich Links: Substack - https://substack.com/@erinbrockovich Website - https://www.brockovich.com Data Center Map - https://www.brockovichdatacenter.com X - https://x.com/ErinBrockovich Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the_real_…

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 30, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Earth Sciences·Technology·Politics