{
  "summary": "This chapter is observing (no good/bad criterion): observation started 2026-09-03, 4 series, latest confirmed 2026-09-15. Latest final value: CONUS area in drought (D1 or worse) 59.37% (2026-09-15). (Source: U.S. Drought Monitor; first-party disclosure ledger / updated 2026-09-24 18:01 JST)",
  "cite_as": "AI Lifeline, Water (United States edition), data confirmed 2026-09-15, https://ai-lifeline.org/us/water/",
  "frequency_note": "Mixed-frequency chapter: the Drought Monitor is weekly (map released Thursdays, valid the preceding Tuesday; refetched daily so revisions are picked up); the disclosure ledger is re-verified by hand about monthly.",
  "cannot_say": [
    "How much water U.S. data centers withdraw or consume, by state or by facility (no public periodic statistic exists; checked 2026-09-03).",
    "Whether drought has constrained cooling at any specific facility or region (regional drought extent only).",
    "Whether any drought level or disclosure count is good or bad (no threshold is inferred from the drought categories)."
  ],
  "generated": "2026-09-24 18:01",
  "region": "us",
  "candidates": [
    {
      "status": "candidate_unobserved",
      "name": "USGS water use - machine-readable re-retrieval (NWIS water-use service)",
      "reason": "The national figures are published as a ledger above (Circular 1441); the NWIS retrieval endpoint now redirects to an information page (2026-09-04), so no machine-readable series exists yet."
    },
    {
      "status": "candidate_unobserved",
      "name": "Data-center water withdrawal by state",
      "reason": "No public periodic statistic exists (checked 2026-09-03); operator disclosures are tracked in the ledger above instead."
    }
  ],
  "series": {
    "usgs_water_use_ledger": {
      "name": "USGS - Estimated use of water in the United States (5-year compilation) - national figures as published (ledger)",
      "data_status": "live",
      "checked": "2026-09-04",
      "source": {
        "name": "U.S. Geological Survey, Estimated use of water in the United States in 2015 (Circular 1441)",
        "license": "Public domain (U.S. federal government work)",
        "url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/cir1441"
      },
      "entries": [
        {
          "date": "2018-06-19",
          "kind": "publication",
          "label": "USGS Circular 1441 (2015 estimates): total withdrawals about 322 billion gallons per day (Bgal/d), 9 percent less than in 2010 - the lowest level since before 1970",
          "source_url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/cir1441",
          "verified_on": "2026-09-04",
          "note": "Abstract as published (retrieved 2026-09-04). Publication date as listed by USGS Publications Warehouse for Circular 1441."
        },
        {
          "date": "2018-06-19",
          "kind": "publication",
          "label": "2015: freshwater withdrawals 281 Bgal/d (87 percent of total); thermoelectric power 133 Bgal/d (41 percent of total; 18 percent less than in 2010); public supply 7 percent less than in 2010",
          "source_url": "https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/cir1441",
          "verified_on": "2026-09-04",
          "note": "Thermoelectric power, irrigation and public supply accounted for 90 percent of total withdrawals in 2015 (abstract). Cooling of thermal power plants and public supply are the categories that data centers draw on indirectly and directly."
        },
        {
          "date": null,
          "kind": "not_yet_scheduled",
          "label": "2020 compilation: USGS has not published a national 2020 water-use circular in the same form as of 2026-09-04 (the NWIS water-use retrieval now redirects to a USGS information page)",
          "source_url": "https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/accessing-water-use-data/",
          "verified_on": "2026-09-04",
          "note": "Frequency: 5-year compilation - does not meet the monthly-or-better rule; kept as an annual/irregular ledger (candidate_ledger in the chapter since 2026-09-03)."
        }
      ],
      "unit": "entries",
      "reference": true
    },
    "water_disclosure": {
      "policy": "Observing only whether a disclosure exists. No operator figure (WUE, withdrawal, consumption) is reproduced (2026-08-21 rule, Japan edition). We link to the disclosure page and record the level and the date checked.",
      "name": "Water-disclosure status of major cloud / data-center operators (14 in the panel; WUE figure / volume / policy only / none)",
      "figures_policy": "2026-09-04 指示 7：WUE を開示している社のうち、一次資料（サステナビリティ報告書の該当ページ）を直接確認して転記できた数値のみ figures に載せる（出所ページ番号つき）。転記していない社は「figure not transcribed」と表示する。数値の解釈・順位付けはしない。",
      "monthly": [
        {
          "period": "2026-09",
          "value": 7,
          "wue": 7,
          "volume": 4,
          "policy_only": 3,
          "none": 0,
          "unconfirmed": 0,
          "total": 14,
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03"
        }
      ],
      "data_status": "live",
      "checked": "2026-09-03",
      "source": {
        "name": "AI Lifeline first-party observation of official sustainability pages",
        "license": "First-party observation of the existence of disclosure; no third-party figures are reproduced (2026-08-21 rule, Japan edition)",
        "url": "https://ai-lifeline.org/us/water/"
      },
      "companies": [
        {
          "name": "Microsoft",
          "scope": "global",
          "level": "wue",
          "url": "https://datacenters.microsoft.com/sustainability/efficiency/",
          "verified": "2026-08-21",
          "note": "Evidence shared with the Japan-edition ledger (same page)."
        },
        {
          "name": "Amazon Web Services",
          "scope": "global",
          "level": "wue",
          "url": "https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/natural-resources/water",
          "verified": "2026-08-21",
          "note": "Evidence shared with the Japan-edition ledger (same page)."
        },
        {
          "name": "Meta",
          "scope": "global",
          "level": "wue",
          "url": "https://sustainability.atmeta.com/water/",
          "verified": "2026-08-21",
          "note": "Evidence shared with the Japan-edition ledger (same page)."
        },
        {
          "name": "Equinix",
          "scope": "global",
          "level": "wue",
          "url": "https://www.equinix.com/resources/data-sheets/sustainability-data-summary",
          "verified": "2026-08-21",
          "note": "Evidence shared with the Japan-edition ledger (same page)."
        },
        {
          "name": "Google",
          "scope": "global",
          "level": "volume",
          "url": "https://datacenters.google/water/",
          "verified": "2026-08-21",
          "note": "Site-level water data in the environmental report; no single WUE figure confirmed. Evidence shared with the Japan-edition ledger."
        },
        {
          "name": "Apple",
          "scope": "global",
          "level": "volume",
          "url": "https://www.apple.com/environment/",
          "verified": "2026-08-21",
          "note": "Company-wide water use (not data centers alone; no WUE). Evidence shared with the Japan-edition ledger."
        },
        {
          "name": "Oracle",
          "scope": "global",
          "level": "volume",
          "url": "https://www.oracle.com/social-impact/",
          "verified": "2026-08-21",
          "note": "Evidence shared with the Japan-edition ledger (same page)."
        },
        {
          "name": "Digital Realty",
          "scope": "global",
          "level": "volume",
          "url": "https://www.digitalrealty.com/about/sustainability",
          "verified": "2026-08-21",
          "note": "Withdrawal disclosed; WUE as target/improvement rate only. Evidence shared with the Japan-edition ledger."
        },
        {
          "name": "CoreWeave",
          "scope": "U.S.",
          "level": "policy",
          "url": "https://www.coreweave.com/ai-data-centers",
          "verified": "2026-09-03",
          "note": "Checked page states closed-loop liquid cooling and a relative water-efficiency claim; no WUE or volume figure. /sustainability returned 404 on 2026-09-03."
        },
        {
          "name": "Switch",
          "scope": "U.S.",
          "level": "policy",
          "url": "https://www.switch.com/sustainability/",
          "verified": "2026-09-03",
          "note": "Net-positive water strategy and replenishment targets; no WUE or volume figure on the checked page."
        },
        {
          "name": "CyrusOne",
          "scope": "U.S.",
          "level": "wue",
          "url": "https://www.cyrusone.com/hubfs/CyrusOne/2026%20Sustainability%20Report.pdf?hsLang=en",
          "verified": "2026-09-03",
          "note": "2026 Sustainability Report (PDF, 107 pp.), pp.35-36: reports Design WUE Site, Operating WUE Site (ISO WUE1) and Operating WUE Source (ISO WUE3) in L/kWh for 2018/2024/2025 by facility category, plus total water withdrawal/consumption/discharge in the appendix. Verified by opening the PDF on 2026-09-03 (text extraction). Figures are not reproduced here by site policy.",
          "figures": {
            "metric": "Operating WUE (Site), all facilities",
            "value": "0.25",
            "unit": "L/kWh",
            "year": "2025",
            "source_page": "2026 Sustainability Report pp.35-36",
            "prior": {
              "2024": "0.29",
              "2018": "0.49"
            },
            "transcribed_on": "2026-09-03"
          }
        },
        {
          "name": "QTS Data Centers",
          "scope": "U.S.",
          "level": "wue",
          "url": "https://q.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2025-QTS-Sustainability-Report.pdf",
          "verified": "2026-09-03",
          "note": "2025 Sustainability Report (PDF, 37 pp.; qtsdatacenters.com now redirects to q.com = QTS Realty Trust): p.12 states the 2025 portfolio WUE and the 5% annual reduction target; p.29 states total water withdrawal and consumption for 2025 in megaliters (GRI 303). Verified by opening the PDF on 2026-09-03. Figures are not reproduced here by site policy.",
          "figures": {
            "metric": "WUE",
            "value": "0.44",
            "unit": "L/kWh",
            "year": "2025",
            "source_page": "2025 Sustainability Report p.12 / p.29",
            "transcribed_on": "2026-09-03"
          }
        },
        {
          "name": "Vantage Data Centers",
          "scope": "U.S.",
          "level": "policy",
          "url": "https://vantage-dc.com/sustainability/",
          "verified": "2026-09-03",
          "note": "Closed-loop air-cooled design and a qualitative 'virtually zero' WUE claim; no measured WUE or volume figure on the checked page."
        },
        {
          "name": "Iron Mountain Data Centers",
          "scope": "U.S.",
          "level": "wue",
          "url": "https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/ironmountain-c8dd68e9/media/project/iron-mountain/iron-mountain/files/resources/solution-guides/d/data-centers-2025-sustainability-report.pdf?sc_lang=en",
          "verified": "2026-09-03",
          "note": "Sustainability Overview 2025 (PDF, 31 pp.), p.22: WUE for 2022-2025 and water consumed (liters) by year, alongside PUE and CUE. Landing page: resources.ironmountain.com/solution-guides/d/data-centers-2025-data-centers-sustainability-report. Verified by opening the PDF on 2026-09-03. Figures are not reproduced here by site policy.",
          "figures": {
            "metric": "WUE",
            "value": "0.82",
            "unit": "L/kWh",
            "year": "2025",
            "source_page": "Sustainability Overview 2025 p.22",
            "prior": {
              "2024": "0.996",
              "2023": "1.16",
              "2022": "1.35"
            },
            "transcribed_on": "2026-09-03"
          }
        }
      ],
      "unit": "companies",
      "levels": {
        "wue": "WUE figure disclosed",
        "volume": "Total water withdrawal / consumption disclosed",
        "policy": "Policy or targets only (no figure on the checked page)",
        "none": "No disclosure found on the checked page",
        "unconfirmed": "Could not be confirmed (page not retrievable or blocked)"
      },
      "panel_summary": {
        "none": 0,
        "total": 14,
        "wue_figures_transcribed": 3,
        "policy_only": 3,
        "checked": "2026-09-03",
        "volume": 4,
        "wue": 7,
        "unconfirmed": 0
      }
    },
    "drought_area_d1_plus": {
      "name": "CONUS area in drought, D1 (moderate) or worse - percent of area (U.S. Drought Monitor, weekly)",
      "causal_note": "Water is the cooling medium of AI: evaporative cooling and thermal power generation draw on the same regional water; a drying region tightens both at once. Drought extent is the public, weekly, nationwide signal of that pressure.",
      "data_status": "live",
      "source": {
        "name": "U.S. Drought Monitor (National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USDA, NOAA and NASA)",
        "license": "Free re-use with proper attribution (NDMC Web Policy, drought.unl.edu/WebPolicy.aspx; verified 2026-08-29 and 2026-09-03). Not an endorsement by NDMC.",
        "url": "https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/"
      },
      "unit": "%",
      "definition_note": "Cumulative statisticsType=1 as published: value = percent of the contiguous U.S. in categories D1-D4. Columns d0_plus..d4 are the other cumulative columns as published; none = percent not in D0-D4. Categories: D0 Abnormally Dry, D1 Moderate, D2 Severe, D3 Extreme, D4 Exceptional Drought (NDMC definitions).",
      "weekly": [
        {
          "date": "2025-12-30",
          "value": 42.83,
          "d0_plus": 69.99,
          "d1_plus": 42.83,
          "d2_plus": 14.03,
          "d3_plus": 1.88,
          "d4": 0.05,
          "none": 30.01,
          "valid_start": "2025-12-30",
          "valid_end": "2026-01-05",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-01-06",
          "value": 44.82,
          "d0_plus": 70.26,
          "d1_plus": 44.82,
          "d2_plus": 15.7,
          "d3_plus": 1.91,
          "d4": 0.05,
          "none": 29.74,
          "valid_start": "2026-01-06",
          "valid_end": "2026-01-12",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-01-13",
          "value": 42.55,
          "d0_plus": 67.69,
          "d1_plus": 42.55,
          "d2_plus": 17.53,
          "d3_plus": 2.42,
          "d4": 0.06,
          "none": 32.31,
          "valid_start": "2026-01-13",
          "valid_end": "2026-01-19",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-01-20",
          "value": 44.01,
          "d0_plus": 69.0,
          "d1_plus": 44.01,
          "d2_plus": 18.91,
          "d3_plus": 3.08,
          "d4": 0.11,
          "none": 31.0,
          "valid_start": "2026-01-20",
          "valid_end": "2026-01-26",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-01-27",
          "value": 43.04,
          "d0_plus": 67.94,
          "d1_plus": 43.04,
          "d2_plus": 18.97,
          "d3_plus": 3.12,
          "d4": 0.11,
          "none": 32.06,
          "valid_start": "2026-01-27",
          "valid_end": "2026-02-02",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-02-03",
          "value": 44.53,
          "d0_plus": 70.49,
          "d1_plus": 44.53,
          "d2_plus": 19.54,
          "d3_plus": 3.61,
          "d4": 0.11,
          "none": 29.51,
          "valid_start": "2026-02-03",
          "valid_end": "2026-02-09",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-02-10",
          "value": 46.6,
          "d0_plus": 72.58,
          "d1_plus": 46.6,
          "d2_plus": 21.55,
          "d3_plus": 4.81,
          "d4": 0.13,
          "none": 27.42,
          "valid_start": "2026-02-10",
          "valid_end": "2026-02-16",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-02-17",
          "value": 48.58,
          "d0_plus": 73.73,
          "d1_plus": 48.58,
          "d2_plus": 22.56,
          "d3_plus": 5.99,
          "d4": 0.15,
          "none": 26.27,
          "valid_start": "2026-02-17",
          "valid_end": "2026-02-23",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-02-24",
          "value": 51.13,
          "d0_plus": 74.36,
          "d1_plus": 51.13,
          "d2_plus": 23.11,
          "d3_plus": 6.41,
          "d4": 0.22,
          "none": 25.64,
          "valid_start": "2026-02-24",
          "valid_end": "2026-03-02",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-03-03",
          "value": 54.88,
          "d0_plus": 77.0,
          "d1_plus": 54.88,
          "d2_plus": 24.66,
          "d3_plus": 6.92,
          "d4": 0.36,
          "none": 23.0,
          "valid_start": "2026-03-03",
          "valid_end": "2026-03-09",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-03-10",
          "value": 53.97,
          "d0_plus": 76.75,
          "d1_plus": 53.97,
          "d2_plus": 24.15,
          "d3_plus": 6.8,
          "d4": 0.35,
          "none": 23.25,
          "valid_start": "2026-03-10",
          "valid_end": "2026-03-16",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-03-17",
          "value": 54.81,
          "d0_plus": 75.86,
          "d1_plus": 54.81,
          "d2_plus": 25.08,
          "d3_plus": 6.88,
          "d4": 0.45,
          "none": 24.14,
          "valid_start": "2026-03-17",
          "valid_end": "2026-03-23",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-03-24",
          "value": 56.21,
          "d0_plus": 77.14,
          "d1_plus": 56.21,
          "d2_plus": 29.51,
          "d3_plus": 8.34,
          "d4": 0.96,
          "none": 22.86,
          "valid_start": "2026-03-24",
          "valid_end": "2026-03-30",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-03-31",
          "value": 59.91,
          "d0_plus": 80.01,
          "d1_plus": 59.91,
          "d2_plus": 34.68,
          "d3_plus": 14.63,
          "d4": 1.97,
          "none": 19.99,
          "valid_start": "2026-03-31",
          "valid_end": "2026-04-06",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-04-07",
          "value": 60.05,
          "d0_plus": 79.08,
          "d1_plus": 60.05,
          "d2_plus": 36.35,
          "d3_plus": 14.47,
          "d4": 2.02,
          "none": 20.92,
          "valid_start": "2026-04-07",
          "valid_end": "2026-04-13",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-04-14",
          "value": 61.03,
          "d0_plus": 77.57,
          "d1_plus": 61.03,
          "d2_plus": 39.91,
          "d3_plus": 15.71,
          "d4": 2.19,
          "none": 22.43,
          "valid_start": "2026-04-14",
          "valid_end": "2026-04-20",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-04-21",
          "value": 62.78,
          "d0_plus": 76.5,
          "d1_plus": 62.78,
          "d2_plus": 43.64,
          "d3_plus": 18.47,
          "d4": 2.31,
          "none": 23.5,
          "valid_start": "2026-04-21",
          "valid_end": "2026-04-27",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-04-28",
          "value": 61.68,
          "d0_plus": 75.38,
          "d1_plus": 61.68,
          "d2_plus": 43.83,
          "d3_plus": 19.15,
          "d4": 2.41,
          "none": 24.62,
          "valid_start": "2026-04-28",
          "valid_end": "2026-05-04",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-05-05",
          "value": 60.92,
          "d0_plus": 75.34,
          "d1_plus": 60.92,
          "d2_plus": 43.5,
          "d3_plus": 19.09,
          "d4": 2.44,
          "none": 24.66,
          "valid_start": "2026-05-05",
          "valid_end": "2026-05-11",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-05-12",
          "value": 61.47,
          "d0_plus": 76.3,
          "d1_plus": 61.47,
          "d2_plus": 43.66,
          "d3_plus": 18.69,
          "d4": 2.58,
          "none": 23.7,
          "valid_start": "2026-05-12",
          "valid_end": "2026-05-18",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-05-19",
          "value": 62.42,
          "d0_plus": 76.08,
          "d1_plus": 62.42,
          "d2_plus": 44.49,
          "d3_plus": 20.19,
          "d4": 2.48,
          "none": 23.92,
          "valid_start": "2026-05-19",
          "valid_end": "2026-05-25",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-05-26",
          "value": 60.77,
          "d0_plus": 77.2,
          "d1_plus": 60.77,
          "d2_plus": 41.72,
          "d3_plus": 16.74,
          "d4": 2.18,
          "none": 22.8,
          "valid_start": "2026-05-26",
          "valid_end": "2026-06-01",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-06-02",
          "value": 58.38,
          "d0_plus": 77.6,
          "d1_plus": 58.38,
          "d2_plus": 37.3,
          "d3_plus": 14.55,
          "d4": 1.47,
          "none": 22.4,
          "valid_start": "2026-06-02",
          "valid_end": "2026-06-08",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-06-09",
          "value": 56.16,
          "d0_plus": 74.75,
          "d1_plus": 56.16,
          "d2_plus": 35.4,
          "d3_plus": 12.3,
          "d4": 1.17,
          "none": 25.25,
          "valid_start": "2026-06-09",
          "valid_end": "2026-06-15",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-03 21:21"
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-06-16",
          "value": 55.02,
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          "d1_plus": 49.77,
          "d2_plus": 28.31,
          "d3_plus": 10.51,
          "d4": 1.68,
          "none": 30.82,
          "valid_start": "2026-09-15",
          "valid_end": "2026-09-21",
          "fetched_at": "2026-09-18 18:01"
        }
      ],
      "data_status": "live",
      "source": {
        "name": "U.S. Drought Monitor (National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USDA, NOAA and NASA)",
        "license": "Free re-use with proper attribution (NDMC Web Policy, drought.unl.edu/WebPolicy.aspx; verified 2026-08-29 and 2026-09-03). Not an endorsement by NDMC.",
        "url": "https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/"
      },
      "unit": "%",
      "reference": true
    }
  },
  "status": "observing",
  "can_say": [
    "What percent of the contiguous U.S. (and of the U.S. total area) was in drought category D1 or worse each week, as the U.S. Drought Monitor publishes it.",
    "Whether each of the 14 cloud / data-center operators in the panel publishes a water disclosure, at which level (WUE figure / volume / policy only / none), with the page link and the date checked; and, for WUE disclosers, the figure only where it was transcribed directly from the primary-source report with its page number.",
    "The national water-use figures USGS published in its five-year compilation (ledger, as published)."
  ],
  "status_note": "Observing only: no good/bad criterion is defined for this chapter (no threshold is inferred from the drought categories). Regional aggregates only; no facility-level data. Water-disclosure levels record whether a disclosure exists, never the figures themselves.",
  "answer_line": "This chapter is observing (no good/bad criterion): observation started 2026-09-03, 4 series, latest confirmed 2026-09-15. Latest final value: CONUS area in drought (D1 or worse) 59.37% (2026-09-15). (Source: U.S. Drought Monitor; first-party disclosure ledger / updated 2026-09-24 18:01 JST)",
  "answer_line_date": "2026-09-15",
  "answer_kind": "observing",
  "headline_answer": {
    "series": "drought_area_d1_plus",
    "label": "CONUS area in drought (D1 or worse)",
    "value": 59.37,
    "unit": "%",
    "date": "2026-09-15",
    "threshold": null
  },
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What share of the contiguous U.S. is in drought (D1 or worse)?",
      "a": "For the map dated 2026-09-15, 59.37% of the contiguous U.S. area was in D1 (moderate) or worse; the U.S. total (50 states + Puerto Rico) was 49.77%. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC / USDA / NOAA / NASA), weekly, figures as published."
    },
    {
      "q": "How many major cloud and data-center operators disclose a WUE figure?",
      "a": "7 of 14 operators in the panel disclosed a WUE figure as of 2026-09-03 (volume-level disclosure 4, policy only 3, no disclosure found 0, could not be confirmed 0). First-party check of official sustainability pages; no operator figures are reproduced except where transcribed from the primary document."
    },
    {
      "q": "What is the source and how often is it updated?",
      "a": "Drought Monitor: weekly map (released Thursdays, valid the preceding Tuesday), refetched daily so revisions are picked up. Disclosure ledger: re-verified by hand about monthly. Observation started 2026-09-03. Last updated 2026-09-24 18:01 JST. Definition: docs/指標定義_US_水章.md v1.0. Machine-readable: https://ai-lifeline.org/us/api/water_us.json"
    },
    {
      "q": "What can this data not tell you?",
      "a": "What this chapter cannot say (ledger v1.0, approved 2026-09-05; full text in the method section): How much water U.S. data centers withdraw or consume, by state or by facility (no public periodic statistic exists; checked 2026-09-03); Whether drought has constrained cooling at any specific facility or region (regional drought extent only); Whether any drought level or disclosure count is good or bad (no threshold is inferred from the drought categories)."
    }
  ],
  "citation": {
    "page": "https://ai-lifeline.org/us/water/",
    "api": "https://ai-lifeline.org/us/api/water_us.json",
    "last_confirmed": "2026-09-15",
    "next_expected": "2026-09-22",
    "generated": "2026-09-24 18:01",
    "observation_start": "2026-09-03",
    "series_count": 4,
    "series_not_yet_measured": 0,
    "title_short": "CONUS in drought 59.37% (final 9/15)",
    "generated_by": "scripts/citation/apply_citation_layer.py",
    "ledger_version": "v1.1-2026-09-06",
    "keys_written": [
      "summary",
      "cite_as",
      "answer_line",
      "answer_line_date",
      "answer_kind",
      "headline_answer",
      "faq",
      "citation"
    ]
  }
}