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Data Centers Drain Vital Water Resources
7 Oct
Summary
- Data centers must consider river basin capacity for water needs.
- Industrial demand, including data centers, exacerbates water scarcity.
- Water use assessment must include upstream impacts beyond direct consumption.
Data centre development in water-stressed regions requires a broader environmental assessment, focusing on the carrying capacity of river basins and watersheds. This approach is crucial to mitigate the deepening inequity in water access caused by escalating industrial demand.
Experts highlight that vulnerable communities, particularly in areas like Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, will bear the brunt of this scarcity first. Data centres and other industries are adding pressure to already limited resources, with consumption below 1,000 cubic meters per capita considered scarce.
Companies are currently prioritizing power reliability and network connectivity over long-term water availability for data centres. This oversight raises concerns about the sustainability of water systems around new facilities and the potential for creating operational "white elephants."
Assessing water management needs to go beyond direct consumption, considering the entire water cycle. Unlike carbon emissions, water challenges cannot be easily offset, making comprehensive planning essential before project approval.
The water footprint of data centres extends significantly beyond cooling systems. Upstream consumption, particularly from energy sources like coal-fired power plants, contributes a much larger water footprint than typical Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) ratios indicate.
Securing treated wastewater for data centres presents further challenges. While discussed as a sustainable option, its availability is limited, and the high cost of necessary pipeline infrastructure can render projects economically unfeasible.
