Google pushes water standards amid data center backlash

Facing mounting scrutiny over data center water consumption, Google on Wednesday released a set of guidelines it says should become the industry standard.Why it matters: Communities across the U.S. are increasingly pushing back against new data centers, often citing concerns about water use alongside rising power prices, local air pollution and noise.Google argues that better practices — and more transparency — can help ease those fears.Driving the news: Google's framework calls for:Returning mo...