Hyperscale data centers consume 1-5 million gallons of water per day

The water consumption of hyperscale data centers is comparable to a city of 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants. This has led to resistance from local communities, with projects in Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil being halted. The water is used for cooling and refrigeration, and the industry’s response has been to downplay the issue. However, independent researchers have pointed out that the industry’s calculations ignore the water needed to feed and cool the growing data centers. The water consumption of data centers is a growing concern, with the industry’s water usage projected to increase to 9.3 billion liters by 2030. Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil have seen local communities resist data center projects due to water concerns. In Chile, a data center project was halted in 2019 due to concerns over water usage and extraction from an aquifer. The project was eventually approved with a revised proposal for air-cooling. In Uruguay, a data center project was halted in 2022 due to concerns over water usage and extraction from an aquifer. In Brazil, data centers are being built in regions that suffer from recurrent droughts. The water consumption of data centers is a growing concern, with the industry’s water usage projected to increase to 9.3 billion liters by 2030.