This is groundbreaking news — literally. The $20 billion Intel semiconductor factory officially has construction crews working on the site + today, we’re giving you some hard (hat) facts about where the project currently stands.

Digging in

Gilbane Building, a construction company in Columbus, was at the Intel site in New Albany on Fri., July 1 to begin excavation work on the land. This brings in 7,000 workers for the construction phase + crews will work Monday-Saturday, barring inclement weather. The goal is to have the factories producing microchips by 2025.

For those who live close to the jobsite, Intel vowed to hire full-time representatives to check-in with neighbors for feedback and give updates on the project.

Going with the flow

With the average semiconductor factory using 2-4 million gallons of water per day, Intel will need roughly 5 million gallons per day, according to a report from Columbus Business First. Currently, New Albany officials are finalizing the agreement that would grant Intel access to water for the plant. If approved, Intel is expected to tap into Columbus wells in 2023, but private wells won’t be impacted.

The eco economy

There’s also a trade-off for Intel due to the environmental impacts of using such a high volume of water. The EPA recently approved a permit for Intel which requires the company to build 20 wetlands to mitigate the 10 wetlands that will be affected. MBJ Holdings, a property preservation company based in Texas, will lead the charge in deciding the sites.