Data centers have long been recognized for their immense power consumption, but their significant water usage has largely flown under the radar. Concerns are now being raised, particularly in the UK, reflecting potential challenges that are also relevant in the U.S. and elsewhere, as some regions prepare to confront the impacts of data centers on local water supply.
Prominent among these concerns is a report which highlights the staggering water consumption of typical data centers, which can draw between 11 million and 19 million liters (or roughly 2.9 million to 5 million gallons) of water daily. This usage is comparable to the daily needs of a town with 30,000 to 50,000 residents. Water is crucial for several operations within data centers, including cooling systems that ensure optimal functioning of hardware.
Recent developments underline the increasing water demands associated with the tech industry’s expansion. For instance, during the development of AI tools, Microsoft reported a 34% surge in its global water usage. Furthermore, a data center in Iowa was responsible for consuming 6% of the local water supply in just one month while training OpenAI’s GPT-4.
Prompted by rising concerns, the Royal Academy of Engineering in the UK urges the government to encourage transparency regarding the water consumption of tech companies operating data centers. Without regulatory measures to limit drinking water consumption for cooling, experts like Professor Tom Rodden caution that the advancement of AI technologies could lead to severe environmental consequences.
The situation in the U.S. differs due to the availability of extensive water resources, such as the Great Lakes and major rivers, including tributaries of the Columbia and Klamath Rivers. Such resources often attract data centers seeking reliable water sources. However, similar challenges arise, as seen in Arizona, where Microsoft’s data center construction faced backlash amid fears that it would deplete local water supplies.
As the industry heads toward increasingly water-intensive operations, stakeholders emphasize the need for established benchmarks to monitor not just energy consumption but water use per device or operational area within data centers. This approach could enhance accountability and sustainability within the sector.
