The water problem in U.S. data centers

Large companies in the USA, such as Microsoft, Google or Meta, fear a dry season soon. This can be a disaster in the data centers, as they are often cooled with cheap water.

Steadily rising water consumption among large companies; Image: Financial Times

Data centers in the U.S. are facing a big problem. Water is becoming scarce. The average water consumption of such a center is over 1.1 million liters per day (300,000 gallons per day). That's how much 100,000 homes need, according to research at Virginia Tech University.

That could become a problem in the long run, since just over 50% of the entire U.S. lives in arid conditions. Especially in the western part of the country.

Microsoft is already working on a solution. In dry areas, such as Arizona, it is already working on a condensation solution to cool the centers in this way. In humid areas, rainwater is collected on the roof to cool the building.