Many Data Centers Are Located Where Water Resources Are Limited

1 In 4 Data Centers Could Strain Local Water Supplies

Researchers mapped 9,347 data centers and found 25% sit where water demand outstrips supply for at least a month each year.

Many data centers are located where water resources are limited

One-quarter of the world's data centers are located in areas where water demand exceeds supply for at least one month each year, according to a new global analysis. Researchers reporting in Environmental Science & Technology mapped data center locations against available water resources and found that, under a future climate scenario, the proportion of facilities in water-stressed areas could rise to one-third.

One-quarter of the world’s data centers are located in areas where water demand exceeds supply for at least one month each year. Unlike energy, which can come from far away, water for these facilities comes from nearby rivers, lakes, and aquifers whose levels vary seasonally or annually.