"They Don't Care": Living 400 Yards From Meta's AI Data Center in Rural Georgia

Beverly and Jeff Morris moved to rural Mansfield, Georgia in 2016 looking for peace. "Being in the country has always just been my piece and my therapy," Beverly told More Perfect Union. "When we found this place, we decided that this was it."

Then Meta began construction on a 2-million-square-foot data center campus less than 400 yards from their front door.

What followed has been years of contaminated well water, nonstop noise and light pollution, skyrocketing electricity bills, and a feeling of total powerlessness against one of the world's most powerful corporations.

"It's overwhelming because you really feel like you are up against this huge wall that you can't penetrate. There's nothing that you can do. And they don't care."
— Beverly Morris, Mansfield, Georgia (More Perfect Union, 2025)

The Water

Since construction began in 2018, the Morrises have been battling sediment contamination in their well water. On camera, Beverly shows jugs they fill up just to flush their toilets — the tap pressure has become so unreliable. The sediment has already destroyed two washing machines, a dishwasher, a hot water heater, and the home's plumbing fixtures.

Replacing the well alone would cost an estimated $20,000 — not including the pipes, fixtures, and appliances already destroyed. (The Cooldown, 2026)

The Electric Bill

Data centers consume extraordinary amounts of electricity. In Georgia — which has the fastest data center growth in the entire country — industrial electricity rates are 42% below the national average. That cheap power is a magnet for Big Tech. But the cost gets passed to residents.

The Morrises' monthly electric bill went from ~$250 to ~$400 — a nearly 60% increase — since the data center came online. Statewide, data center electricity use is projected to double or triple over the next three years, threatening further rate hikes for every household on the grid. (More Perfect Union)

The Noise and Light

The data center runs 24 hours a day. The Morrises describe construction crews operating at 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 in the morning. The facility's lights are so intense that the couple no longer needs nightlights inside their house. "You can walk around the house at night and see everything," Jeff said. The construction also stripped away the old-growth pine forest that once lined the road — "beautiful pines, beautiful forest" — replacing it with concrete and floodlights.

Georgia Gave Big Tech $180 Million in Tax Breaks

While residents absorb rising costs and degraded living conditions, Georgia handed the data center industry over $180 million in tax breaks in a single year. Industry representatives argue the facilities boost property tax revenue — one official cited a parcel that went from paying $36,000 in property taxes in 2021 to $1.13 million in 2024. But residents like Beverly Morris and advocates across the state argue the math doesn't add up when communities are left absorbing the true costs. (More Perfect Union)

Fayette County: The Same Story, Different Zip Code

The Morrises aren't alone. Fifty miles away in Fayette County, a 412-acre QTS data center campus owned by Blackstone was approved by a 5-0 city council vote over passionate community opposition — after the land was quietly purchased for $153.8 million. Neighbors Jean and Joe Marschall now live on the edge of that construction zone.

"We have absolutely no say in anything that happens over here."
— Jean Marschall, Fayette County, Georgia

Advocate Diana Dietz, who has been fighting the development, described the approval process bluntly: "It was a done deal."

The Fight Back

Residents and advocates pushed for legislative remedies. A bill — SB 34 — was introduced at the Georgia state Capitol that would shift the burden of data center operational costs from ratepayers back to the data centers themselves. The Consumer Utility Council, which advocates for ratepayers and small businesses, backed the bill.

The industry has pushed back hard. And Georgia is a preview of what's happening nationwide: under the Trump administration, data center investment in the U.S. is projected to surpass $1 trillion over the next five years, with communities across the country being asked to absorb the costs so that Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft can power the AI revolution.

"Search the internet for profits that Meta has made, Amazon, Microsoft. They can afford to pay for their own generation."
— Georgia resident and ratepayer advocate

Sources & Citations

• More Perfect Union — "I Live 400 Yards From Mark Zuckerberg's Massive Data Center" (13-minute investigative video, 3.4M+ views)
• The Cooldown — "Mark Zuckerberg under fire after Georgia resident makes startling claims: 'They don't care'", 2026
• More Perfect Union — Independent nonprofit newsroom