Data centres store and process digital data. They generate heat and need cooling to work properly. Many use water-based cooling systems. AI-powered centres need even more cooling, which increases water demand.
The UK plans to build more data centres to boost AI growth. But this could put pressure on water supplies. Experts say this may be a problem, especially in dry areas. Southern England already faces water shortages. Population growth and climate change make it worse. The government is planning nine new reservoirs to help. Some of these will be near new data centres.
For example, a planned reservoir in Abingdon will serve Thames Valley, London, and Hampshire. But a new AI zone in Culham is nearby, raising concerns about water use. Thames Water is talking with the government about solutions. Experts want companies to report how much water they use. They also call for new rules to save water.
If nothing changes, experts warn of environmental damage. Many data centres do not share their water use. Some use as much as a small town each day. Microsoft’s water use grew by 34% due to AI expansion. OpenAI’s GPT-4 training used 6% of a district’s water in Iowa in one month. Some countries have rejected data centres for using too much water.
Thames Water warned it might limit water use during heatwaves. In 2022, it considered restrictions, but data was lacking. They can limit business water use. But data centres are now Critical National Infrastructure, making limits harder. The company opposed a new data centre in Slough but failed to block others.
Foxglove CEO Martha Dark calls for clear rules on AI water use. The government says AI zones will be placed in areas with enough water. New Ofwat rules will allow £104 billion in water investments over five years. Tech firms are also finding solutions. Microsoft is working on water-recycling cooling. Other companies are testing air cooling and dry cooling. Aaron Binckley of Digital Realty says AI tools could save 4 million litres of water a year.
The Environment Agency warns that by 2050, England will need 5 billion extra litres of water daily. Experts say data centres must track and reuse water.
The industry must act now to balance AI growth and water needs.
