TSMC's $65B Phoenix Chip Plants Raise Concerns Over Massive Water Usage Amid Drought

• TSMC building $65B chip manufacturing facilities in Phoenix, a drought-stricken city, raising concerns about water usage and availability • Semiconductor manufacturing is incredibly water-intensive, almost on par with water usage of New York City • Phoenix has been in a drought for over a decade but officials say the city has enough water for TSMC and potentially more chipmakers • Questions remain about TSMC's water recycling rates and wastewater discharge from production • Arizona positioning itself as a chip manufacturing hub but water scarcity could become a long-term issue with climate change over the facilities' decades-long lifespan