A survey of 73 data centre sites has suggested that the sector is getting more water-conscious as AI-driven growth looms, with most facilities now using under 10,000 m³ of water a year.
That’s according to a new report from techUK, which looked at the water use of England’s commercial data centres, drawing on a joint survey with the Environment Agency that covers 73 facilities.
The headline finding of the report was the fact that 51% of surveyed sites use waterless cooling, while 64% consume under 10,000 m³ of water per year – less than a typical leisure centre. In total, 89% of sites either measure water use or operate without water for cooling, and 4% report using more than 100,000 m³ annually.
Given the recent fear-mongering in the mainstream press, it’s important to highlight the progress the industry is making towards reducing its water usage – with the data challenging the common assumptions that data centres are inherently water-intensive. Many operators are already deploying more efficient approaches and tightening monitoring to reduce environmental impact.
That’s going to be key as AI drives further growth in the data centre sector, with the UK Government targeting a 20-fold increase in sovereign compute capacity by 2030.
Richard Thompson, Deputy Director for Water Resources at The Environment Agency, said of the findings, “I am encouraged by the work techUK have undertaken to better understand water usage – the findings suggest UK data centres are utilising a range of cooling technologies and becoming more water conscious.
“Advancements in technology must go hand-in-hand with protecting public water supplies, food security and the environment. It is vital the sector puts sustainability at its heart, and minimises water use in line with evolving standards. We are working with industry and other regulators to raise these to secure the best outcomes for our environment and our water supply for future generations.”
What the findings mean
techUK frames the findings as a platform for more evidence-based policymaking. It wants the Government to fast-track construction of new reservoirs, noting that none have been built at scale for more than 30 years, publish a Water Exploitation Index (or equivalent) by river basin to guide developers and utilities, and follow through on wider sector reform proposed by the Independent Water Commission’s Final Report.
On the industry side, techUK argues that operators – across colocation, on-premise and enterprise environments – should commit to measuring and reporting Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE), and strengthen voluntary commitments by joining the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact.
Some recommendations cut across both public and private sectors. Standardised cooling requirements for AI chips could help curb both energy and water demand at scale. A public-private partnership could coordinate infrastructure upgrades and investment, while earlier coordination between developers, water companies and local authorities – mirroring electricity connections – would reduce friction at planning and build phases.
