According to the Financial Times, in Virginia - home to the world's largest concentration of data centers - water usage jumped by almost two-thirds between 2019 and 2023, from 1.13 billion gallons to 1.85 billion gallons. This surge highlights the impact of the AI boom on water consumption and raises questions about the sustainability of such demand globally.
Microsoft, a major data center operator, says 42% of the water it consumed in 2023 came from 'areas with water stress.' This indicates a troubling trend of tech giants relying on regions already facing water scarcity and raises concerns about the future implications for these areas.
Google, which has among the largest data center footprints, reported that 15% of its freshwater withdrawals came from areas with 'high water scarcity.' This figure underscores the significant environmental responsibility that tech companies carry as they expand their operations in water-stressed regions.
Many data centers do recycle water in a closed-loop system, but a substantial portion is allocated for humidity control, which can evaporate. This technical requirement, especially in drier regions, complicates the possibility of reducing overall water usage in data centers.
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