Thirsty Servers: Understanding the Water Footprint of Data Centers

Thirsty Servers: Water Consumption and Sustainability in Data Centers

In today’s world, where artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing power everyday life, the infrastructure supporting them is under increasing scrutiny. A particular focus is on the water consumption of data centers, often referred to as “thirsty servers.” This article examines how much water these digital giants use, the environmental and community impacts, comparisons to other water-intensive sectors, and innovative measures being taken to manage water more sustainably.

The Scale of Water Use in Data Centers

Keeping servers cool requires large amounts of water. Most data centers use water-based cooling systems to dissipate heat. In hot climates or during peak load periods, this can become highly water-intensive.

A medium-sized data center can consume approximately 110 million gallons of water annually for cooling alone. This equates to up to 5 million gallons of drinking water per day—enough to supply thousands of households or irrigate farms. Globally, data centers rank among the top ten commercial water-consuming industries, putting local supplies under pressure. Tech giants like Google report using 6.4 billion gallons across their data centers and offices annually, highlighting the rapid growth driven by AI demand.

The indirect water footprint is even greater, since generating electricity for data centers often requires additional water. With AI workloads increasing, water consumption is projected to rise further, intensifying global water scarcity challenges.

Environmental Impacts and Community Concerns

The rapid expansion of data centers has sparked backlash from environmentalists, farmers, and local residents. In water-stressed regions, these facilities are accused of depleting resources, causing wells to dry up, increasing municipal water costs, and disrupting ecosystems.

For example, in rural Georgia, communities near Meta data centers have reported contaminated or depleted water supplies. In Arizona, data centers compete with agriculture for limited water, potentially lowering crop yields and increasing costs for farmers. In South Carolina, conservation groups criticized Google’s permit to draw 1.5 million gallons daily, arguing that tech priorities overshadow local needs.

Environmentally, the effects are significant. Data centers exacerbate drought conditions, contribute to habitat loss, and reduce biodiversity. In the U.S. West, where millions face water scarcity, the cooling needs of data centers threaten rivers and aquifers, prompting calls for moratoriums on new builds. Critics argue that while companies promote sustainability, opaque water usage data hides the true costs to communities and ecosystems. These tensions have delayed or blocked projects worth billions of dollars due to local opposition.

Putting Data Center Water Use in Perspective

Although water use in data centers is substantial, it is important to compare it with other sectors. Agriculture dominates water consumption, often representing 86% of total usage in states like Arizona, while industrial sectors including data centers consume around 8%.

Golf courses are often cited as benchmarks for high water usage. A typical 18-hole course in the U.S. consumes roughly 312,000 gallons daily for irrigation, rising to 1 million gallons per night in arid regions. Nationally, golf courses collectively use around 2 billion gallons daily.

By comparison, a single Google data center in Virginia used 173.2 million gallons annually, equivalent to about 1.2 golf courses. However, it serves millions of users, so per person, its water use is far lower than that of a golf course serving only a few hundred members. Google’s global footprint equals approximately 43 golf courses. Data centers often recycle water or use non-potable sources, whereas golf courses mainly use freshwater. Other sectors like mining and manufacturing can match or exceed data centers in water intensity, but agriculture remains the largest consumer.

Innovations and Efficiency in Data Centers

The good news is that the industry is taking action. Companies are investing in technologies and metrics to reduce water consumption, aiming for “water-positive” operations, where they replenish more water than they use.

A key metric is Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE), which measures efficiency by dividing total on-site water consumption (liters) by IT energy usage (kilowatt-hours). Lower WUE scores indicate better performance. For example, Microsoft tracks WUE to optimize humidification and cooling in real time, seeking reductions via dynamic adjustments.

Best practices include collecting water usage data, reusing wastewater, and implementing hybrid or air-based cooling systems. Advanced methods like direct-to-chip cooling, where liquid flows directly over processors, can reduce water use by up to 95%. Immersion cooling submerges servers in non-conductive fluids, eliminating evaporative water consumption. Water-side economizers use cooler outdoor air to reduce evaporation.

Future technologies promise even greater gains. Circular water systems treat and recycle on-site water, potentially achieving net-zero consumption. Water-free data centers using advanced air or geothermal cooling are emerging, though challenges such as salt corrosion in seawater systems remain. Microsoft, for example, has pledged a 95% reduction in evaporative water use by 2024, while others explore AI-optimized predictive systems.

Conclusion

Data centers are “thirsty servers,” and their water footprint demands attention. The industry is increasingly committed to efficiency, recycling, and sustainable solutions. Balancing the growing technological demand with environmental stewardship and local water resources will be essential in the coming years.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the average water consumption of a data center?: A medium-sized data center consumes roughly 110 million gallons of water per year for cooling purposes.
2. What technologies reduce water use in data centers?: Direct-to-chip cooling, server immersion, wastewater recycling, and hybrid air systems significantly lower water consumption.
3. How do data centers compare to other sectors?: On a per-person basis, data center water use is lower than golf courses or mining, though total use is high.
4. What is WUE (Water Usage Effectiveness)?: An efficiency metric: liters consumed divided by kWh used by IT equipment. Lower values indicate higher efficiency.
5. Can data centers become “water-positive”?: Yes, by recycling, efficient cooling, and circular water systems, they can return more water than they consume.