A congressional hearing on drinking water took a startling turn when Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez held up two bottles of dirty water that she said came from a Georgia community near a Meta data center construction site, Where Is The Buzz reported.

Just moments earlier, a top Environmental Protection Agency water official had said she was not aware of complaints linking data center construction to drinking water contamination.

What's happening?

During a May 20 hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, the EPA assistant administrator for water, Jessica Kramer, said the agency's main concerns about data centers had centered on water availability, not water quality.

Kramer said she was aware of concerns tied to supply and pointed to the EPA's relaunched Water Reuse Action Plan 2.0. However, when Ocasio-Cortez asked if the EPA had received complaints tying data center construction to drinking-water quality, Kramer replied, "I'm not aware of that."

Ocasio-Cortez then described what she said she observed in Morgan County, Georgia, where a Meta data center campus is under construction: clear-cut forests, blasting, reduced water pressure, damaged home appliances, and families relying on bottled water for drinking and cooking.

She also said residents' water costs are expected to rise by 33%.

In a video posted to social platform X, the congresswoman can be seen holding up two glass jars of visibly dirty water. She said, "The only difference between the clean water and this was that data center … neither one of these things are drinkable."

AOC: This is what drinking water in Georgia looks like after Meta began data center construction in the community. pic.twitter.com/oXk11U46ja

— Acyn (@Acyn) May 21, 2026

Kramer responded that she would investigate the situation when she returned to the office.

Why is the situation concerning?

Clean tap water is not a luxury, and for families living near large industrial construction sites, any sign that wells or household water systems may be changing can quickly become both a financial and health burden.

The Morgan County dispute also lands in the middle of a much larger debate over the rapid spread of data centers and their strain on local resources.

The Meta facility currently uses about 10% of the area's daily water volume, and the region is projected to face a water deficit by 2030.

What makes the issue especially troubling is the apparent gap in oversight. As described by Where Is The Buzz, when asked if data center construction calls for well-water quality checks before work begins, Kramer said she was not aware of such a requirement, though one "might exist."

If no baseline testing is in place, communities may be left trying to prove harm only after their water turns cloudy.

What's being done about the complaints?

Kramer said the EPA will look into the allegations and reiterated that ensuring drinking water standards are met remains a priority regardless of the type of construction involved.

Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, called for a congressional investigation that would let lawmakers work with the EPA and make sure drinking water remains "safe and accessible for the American people."

For people living near major construction, documenting changes can matter. Residents can save dated photos, keep records of appliance failures or drops in water pressure, ask local officials about baseline testing and water-use plans, and request water testing through local or state agencies.

"As soon as I get back to the office, I will look into exactly what you've talked about," Kramer said.

Ocasio-Cortez quoted Kramer from a recent interview, saying, "When I turn the tap on, and when every American turns the tap on, there should be confidence in what's in your drinking water."

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