Not all Data Centers need a lot of water. 

Have you ever had your laptop get hot when it’s sitting on your lap? The servers inside a data center are like computers operating at a really high intensity and the by-product is heat.  Cooling the servers is foundational in data centers, and there are many ways to accomplish this. 

Water needs vary depending on the type of cooling system, equipment density, water quality, climate, and operational requirements. Air cooling uses less water but more power, while water-based cooling uses less power but more water. Often, the most efficient system is a hybrid cooling system that can take advantage of ‘free cooling’ from ambient outside air temperatures, some mechanical cooling and some water cooling on the hottest days of summer. 

This is always tailored to the local conditions, availability, sensitivities, etc.​

As cooling technologies evolve, AI helps systems be more efficient, and  water usage is decreasing. 

At a minimum, all buildings will need water for domestic uses (toilets, sinks, etc.).  

Wll end-users have aggressive sustainability and water-neutral or water-positivity goals allowing creative solutions and local partnership to better the overall water picture. For example:

Data Centers and Water Consumption

AWS explanation on DC Water Use