Water Chuggers: Datacenters Keep America Thirsty
In 2023, datacenters across America consumed roughly 17 billion gallons of water, a remarkable rise compared to a decade ago in 2014, as reported by the US Congressional Research Service (CRS). A review by the Library of Congress investigates the water consumption of these server hubs, proposes methods to reduce usage, and highlights the absence of federal regulation regarding water use by operators. This dilemma is partly due to water usage data being primarily gathered by state agencies.
Running High with AI
The analysis points out that the AI frenzy has triggered a surge in datacenter construction since the introduction of ChatGPT by OpenAI in late 2022, fueling the demand for generative AI and large language models (LLMs). Modern datacenters are equipped with AI-targeted hardware that necessitates increased cooling, thereby escalating water usage. By 2023, according to CRS, water usage in US datacenters had tripled, and it’s probable that it has risen since. It’s crucial to understand that the direct water consumption at these sites represents only a small fraction, roughly 2 percent of the entire US water usage, while indirect consumption from energy generation constitutes over 80 percent.
Staying Chill
The cooling systems utilized in datacenters differ, and the CRS does not delve deeply into details. Certain facilities may choose liquid cooling, which can be more effective than air cooling but may not be practical for smaller operations. As GadgetLad has noted, there is a trade-off between water and energy consumption. Evaporation-based systems require less energy but more water, and the choice of system is influenced by the site’s location and climate. Operators source their water from various suppliers, with municipal systems covering 97 percent of the total supply.
Confidentiality and Legal Battles
Operators frequently maintain water service agreements with local governments, which may restrict the public availability of water usage data. Federal regulation is minimal since water supply management is under state control. In related developments, a water resources scientist has filed a lawsuit against Amazon Web Services for allegedly providing misleading information about its water consumption in Northern Virginia, drawing on data acquired through Freedom of Information Act requests.
A Drop of Politics
The CRS report brings to light several proposed bills in Congress aimed at addressing datacenter water consumption by improving information transparency and encouraging water recycling. Nevertheless, most of these bills have not advanced beyond the introduction phase. Organizations like Data Center Water Leaks track legislative efforts across 36 states, while at the federal level, only a few of the 20 active proposals have made progress. Concurrently, the EU is experiencing resistance concerning calls for improved water consumption reporting from datacenters, with lobbying efforts reportedly diluting suggested environmental ratings.
Summary: A Dry Wit
Datacenters are consuming water like a Geordie at an open bar, igniting discussions from Newcastle to Capitol Hill. With AI spurring demand, datacenters may soon be recognized as the new instigators of those drought alerts popping up on your device.
