Data centres form the backbone of modern digital infrastructure, supporting everything from cloud computing to artificial intelligence (AI). However, their continued maintenance requires vast resources. One such resource is water, which is indirectly used to generate power and, more typically, directly to cool extensive server networks. Despite this, water usage effectiveness (WUE) in data centres is often treated as an afterthought, with comprehensive analysis and discussion regarding the water footprint of digital infrastructure being relatively scarce.[1] The resulting potential gap in public understanding is particularly concerning given the rapid expansion of the digital economy, the culmination of which could be to stretch already-strained water supplies to breaking point.
Data centre water demands and the impact of AI expansion
The findings of a 2021 study published in Nature’s Clean Water partner journal (npj Clean Water) keenly evidence how pressing this issue is, with estimates suggesting that data centres consume approximately 1.7 billion litres of water daily, 57% of which can be classified as potable.[1] Even a mid-sized data centre is estimated to consume about 300,000 gallons (over 1.13 million litres) daily for cooling alone, equivocal to the water usage of around a thousand households.[2] Hyperscale data centres seemingly demand even more, with some capable of consuming nearly 19 million litres in total—enough water to power a city comprising 30 to 40 thousand people.[3]
The increasing computational demands of AI have exacerbated this issue, with large-scale AI models requiring immense processing power, leading to significant heat generation and an increased need for cooling. A typical AI Chatbot conversation containing 10-50 responses, for example, could conceivably consume up to 500ml of water, translating to roughly 4.2-6.6 billion cubic meters of water withdrawal in 2027, according to the World Economic Forum.[1] Unless proper precautions are taken, it seems highly conceivable that this could prove particularly cumbersome in developed countries already affected by climate-change-worsened drought concerns, such as Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, and Australia.[2]
Exacerbating the issue further is that existing facilities are often located or being built in regions already struggling with water scarcity, a concern that recently played a role in the Spanish city of Lleida’s decision to ban building data centres there altogether.[3] A glimpse at the general data centre landscape in the US— conservatively estimated to be home to 33% of the world’s data centres by the United States International Trade Commission— is also particularly apt here.[4] Of those data centres tracked by datacentermap.com, over 50% are in states deemed to possess a medium, high, or very high vulnerability to drought by the (US) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with just under 20% in states belonging to the latter two categories.[5]
Integrating sustainable water management practices
Though some may suggest simply urging potential data centre operators to build in areas less vulnerable to drought as a solution, this would be a gross oversimplification of the issue. First, many regions with abundant water resources may lack the necessary energy infrastructure, fibre connectivity, or business incentives that make data centre operations viable. Second, even in water-secure locations, large-scale water withdrawals can still place stress on local ecosystems, even in areas less susceptible to drought.
For these reasons, the focus should not be solely on geography but on integrating sustainable water management practices. Case in point, implementing water recycling systems in data centres can significantly reduce freshwater consumption and alleviate stress on local water supplies. A close look at Google’s data centres is apt here, having employed a method of recirculating water multiple times through their cooling systems to achieve up to a 50% reduction in water usage compared to traditional once-through cooling systems.[1] Following suit, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has committed to becoming water-positive by 2030, aiming to return more water to communities than it uses during direct operations in 20 data centres worldwide.[2]
Rainwater harvesting could also be invaluable in offsetting local freshwater consumption. Having integrated a rainwater harvesting system that contributed to the building’s LEED Gold certification, Capcon can readily attest that data centres can significantly reduce reliance on municipal supplies here. As pointed out by Justin Talbot Zorn & Bettina Warburg, the large, flat roofs that define data centres are well-suited to harvest water, with a 50,000-square-foot roof capable of collecting approximately 31,000 gallons of water from a single inch of rainfall—about as much as fills an average residential swimming pool.[3] With many data centres featuring roofs larger than 100,000 square feet and some hyperscalers owned by prominent tech companies featuring roofs up to a million square feet, there are reasonable grounds to believe data centres represent an untapped opportunity in this respect.[4]
Advanced liquid cooling methods such as immersion and direct-to-chip cooling will also prove crucial in pursuing water sustainability. As Erica Thomas from the Liquid Cooling Coalition highlights, by transferring heat directly from hardware using liquids, these systems are far more effective at absorbing and dissipating heat than traditional cooling methods.[1] This significantly reduces reliance on water evaporation and, in alignment with the previously stated aims set out by Google and AWS, enables repurposing excess heat for secondary applications, such as heating nearby buildings or supporting agriculture.
The role of infrastructure and policy in advancing water sustainability
It should be noted that there are qualifiers to the broader adoption of solutions such as these. First, fully utilising the specified advanced systems naturally requires building and maintaining data centres conducive to withstanding the power and water running through the building. Siphonic drainage systems connected to rainwater harvesting tanks can prove indispensable here. As we can also attest, siphoning water can significantly boost water flow efficiency, which is essential when managing the intensive water demands of high-performance data centres, with our research evidencing potential for 45% overall cost savings compared to more traditional gravity-based drainage systems.[1]
Second, in keeping with the oft-cited Milton Friedman doctrine that “[t]he social responsibility of business is to increase its profits,” the fact remains that enhancing regulatory oversight and transparency in water usage will be crucial to promoting positive WUE practice.[2] Mandating water usage reporting and other key sustainability metrics in data centres with over 500 kw/h per EU Directive 2024/1364 is a step in the right direction here.[3] However, such measures should be considered the first step in a more extensive regulatory process. As argued by the UK’s National Engineering Policy Centre and others, governments and regulatory bodies will likely need to go much further—namely by mandating reporting across all centres as AI is more widely adopted—to avoid irreparable environmental damage.[1]
The critical need for sustainable water management
In the words of one author, “the need for proactive yet manageable measures has never been clearer.”[1] This sentiment rings particularly true concerning the data centre industry, which must do everything possible to ensure responsible water management to avoid placing an unsustainable burden on global water supplies. While progress has been made here, it cannot be stressed enough that sustainability will require equally sustained commitment, namely through the broader adoption of innovative cooling techniques, water reuse strategies, and regulatory accountability, especially as rapid AI and cloud computing advances induce continued expansion. Ultimately, if decisive action is not taken, the digital age risks placing an irreversible drain on our planet’s most valuable resource.
Enhancing Water Sustainability with Capcon
Capcon’s rainwater harvesting and siphonic drainage solutions provide data centres with a practical way to reduce freshwater consumption and improve water management efficiency. By using rainwater harvesting systems to capture and reuse rainwater, Capcon’s systems help lower reliance on municipal supplies, while their siphonic drainage technology helps further optimise water flow and minimises infrastructure costs.
Biography
Making AI Less ‘Thirsty’: Uncovering and Addressing the Secret Water Footprint of AI Models
[1] See Pengfei Li, Jianyi Yang, Mohammad A. Islam, and Shaolei Ren, “Making AI Less ‘Thirsty’: Uncovering and Addressing the Secret Water Footprint of AI Models,” arXiv preprint arXiv:2304.03271, last revised January 15, 2025, https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.03271
Data Centre Water Consumption
[1] David Mytton, “Data Centre Water Consumption,” Nature Partner Journals (npj) Clean Water 4, no. 11, last revised November 02, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-021-00101-w
Data Centers, Backbone of the Digital Economy, Face Water Scarcity and Climate Risk
[1] Michael Copley, “Data Centers, Backbone of the Digital Economy, Face Water Scarcity and Climate Risk,” NPR, August 30, 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/08/30/1119938708/data-centers-backbone-of-the-digital-economy-face-water-scarcity-and-climate-ris
Transforming Data Centre Cooling for a Sustainable Future
[1] Nicholas Barrowclough, “Transforming Data Centre Cooling for a Sustainable Future,” Data Centre Magazine, November 16, 2023, https://datacentremagazine.com/articles/transforming-data-centre-cooling-for-a-sustainable-future
Why Circular Water Solutions Are Key to Sustainable Data Centres
[1] Wesley Spindler, Luna Atamian Hahn-Petersen, and Sadaf Hosseini, “Why Circular Water Solutions Are Key to Sustainable Data Centres,” World Economic Forum, November 7, 2024, https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/11/circular-water-solutions-sustainable-data-centres/
Barcelona and Majorca Will Shift to a Desert-Like Climate by 2050, New Drought Study Warns
[1] See Euronews Green, “Barcelona and Majorca Will Shift to a Desert-Like Climate by 2050, New Drought Study Warns,” Euronews, September 16, 2024, accessed February 11, 2025, https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/09/16/barcelona-and-majorca-will-shift-to-a-desert-like-climate-by-2050-new-drought-study-warns;
The Ongoing Drought in Northern Italy Threatens Agriculture Yields and Energy Production, Commission Studies Warn
European Parliament, “Drought in Portugal,” Parliamentary Question E-001770/2023, June 2, 2023, accessed February 11, 2025, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2023-001770_EN.html; Joint Research Centre, “The Ongoing Drought in Northern Italy Threatens Agriculture Yields and Energy Production, Commission Studies Warn,” European Commission, April 8, 2022, accessed February 11, 2025, https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/ongoing-drought-northern-italy-threatens-agriculture-yields-and-energy-production-commission-studies-2022-04-08_en;
Italy’s Southern Islands Drought Made 50% More Likely By Climate Change, Study Finds
Martina Igini, “Italy’s Southern Islands Drought Made 50% More Likely By Climate Change, Study Finds,” Earth.Org, September 4, 2024, accessed February 11, 2025, https://earth.org/italys-southern-islands-drought-climate-change/; and Anna Wilson, “Dry Down Under: Australia’s Water Woes,” Frontier Economics, September 2024, accessed February 11, 2025, https://www.frontier-economics.com/uk/en/news-and-insights/articles/article-i4602-dry-down-under-australia-s-water-woes/.
Spain's City of Lleida Bans Data Centers
[1] Niva Yadav, “Spain’s City of Lleida Bans Data Centers,” Data Center Dynamics, January 21, 2025, accessed February 11, 2025, https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/spains-city-of-lleida-bans-data-centers/.
