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https://theconversation.com/data-centers-consume-massive-amounts-of-water-companies-rarely-tell-the-public-exactly-how-much-262901>
"As demand for artificial intelligence technology boosts construction and
proposed construction of data centers around the world, those computers require
not just electricity and land, but also a significant amount of water. Data
centers use water directly, with cooling water pumped through pipes in and
around the computer equipment. They also use water indirectly, through the
water required to produce the electricity to power the facility. The amount of
water used to produce electricity increases dramatically when the source is
fossil fuels compared with solar or wind.
A 2024 report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimated that in
2023, U.S. data centers consumed 17 billion gallons (64 billion liters) of
water directly through cooling, and projects that by 2028, those figures could
double – or even quadruple. The same report estimated that in 2023, U.S. data
centers consumed an additional 211 billion gallons (800 billion liters) of
water indirectly through the electricity that powers them. But that is just an
estimate in a fast-changing industry.
We are researchers in water law and policy based on the shores of Lake
Michigan. Technology companies are eyeing the Great Lakes region to host data
centers, including one proposed for Port Washington, Wisconsin, which could be
one of the largest in the country. The Great Lakes region offers a relatively
cool climate and an abundance of water, making the region an attractive
location for hot and thirsty data centers.
The Great Lakes are an important, binational resource that more than 40 million
people depend on for their drinking water and supports a US$6 trillion regional
economy. Data centers compete with these existing uses and may deplete local
groundwater aquifers.
Our analysis of public records, government documents and sustainability reports
compiled by top data center companies has found that technology companies don’t
always reveal how much water their data centers use. In a forthcoming
Rutgers
Computer and Technology Law Journal article, we walk through our methods and
findings using these resources to uncover the water demands of data centers.
In general, corporate sustainability reports offered the most access and detail
– including that in 2024, one data center in Iowa consumed 1 billion (3.8
billion liters) gallons of water – enough to supply all of Iowa’s residential
water for five days."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
