Wisconsin couple has near-constant layer of dust from data center construction
By Emily Pofahl
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PORT WASHINGTON, Wisconsin (WISN) — A Port Washington couple is dealing with near-constant mud and dust covering their home along Highway LL, blown over, they say, from Vantage’s new AI data center being constructed across the street.
The nearly 700-acre data center campus, which broke ground in December, will house OpenAI and Oracle and is set to be completed in 2028.
Mary Deheck, who lives across the highway, said since construction started, the dust is “never-ending” on windy days.
“It’s blowing in the windows, blowing in every crack and crevice,” Deheck said. “I laid towels on all the windows because I’d dust, and I’d be done in two rooms, and then I’d have to come back and start again.”
The data center is situated along I-43 between Highland and Lake Drives. City of Port Washington Mayor Ted Neitzke has championed the data center as an opportunity to bring revenue into the city and avoid cutting services. Initially, Vantage will build on nearly 700 acres of the 1,900-acre campus owned by the data center company.
Deheck, now 80 years old, said she has lived in her home her whole life.
The dirt and noise from construction have kept her indoors. She’s concerned that breathing in excess dust will impact her health.
“I don’t have the window open anymore,” she said. “You can hear the dump trucks and the backup beepers. That you can hear all day long.”
Vantage, in a statement Monday to WISN 12 News, said that crews are mitigating dust by spraying water on loose dirt and deploying sweeper trucks.
“Our team will investigate this particular concern further to determine any additional measures we can potentially put in place to eliminate the inconvenience for this resident,” the company said.
Deheck has contacted the Department of Natural Resources about the dust issue, and a representative informed her that they were already aware of the problem. WISN 12 News reached out to the Wisconsin DNR for more information about dust mitigation, but has yet to hear back.
Meanwhile, Deheck is shouldering the extra costs for cleaning supplies and car washes, which, she said, is challenging on a fixed income.
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