Unseen Danger Looming Over Western Water Resources
In the face of increasing water scarcity, a pressing issue has emerged: the growing demand for water by Data Centers. Independent journalist John T. Boal, author of "Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul" and a scriptwriter covering environmental issues, has raised concerns about this trend and its potential impact on households, agriculture, and other users.
Boal references Mark Twain's quote, "Whiskey is for drinking and water is worth fighting for," in the context of the current water crisis. He expresses his concern that with more Hyperscale and AI companies scaling up their server farms, the demand for water will only increase.
Currently, Lake Mead, which releases water from the Colorado River, is at 31% of its capacity or 1,055 feet deep. The Colorado River's water is being used by Data Centers and is flowing down to California and Arizona. If Lake Mead drops to 895 feet, it will hit "dead pool," meaning water won't flow into California and Arizona.
Data Centers, used for various digital purposes including email, popular apps, cloud storage, and AI, consume a significant amount of water. Water is used by Data Centers for cooling towers, chillers, pumps, pipes, condensers, and computer room air handler units.
However, it's important to note that the water usage figures do not include the water needed to generate the electricity for these facilities.
In an effort to address this issue, tech giants such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, and Meta Platforms have pledged to be "water positive" by 2030. This means they aim to replenish or save more water than they consume. Microsoft, Amazon, and Google focus on renewing or returning more water to the environment than they use, while Google also uses recycled water for cooling and returns more water than it consumes. Meta uses technologies to reduce water evaporation in cooling systems but is not explicitly mentioned as "water positive."
These tech companies are also conserving water through recirculation, reuse, and other water-saving devices. For instance, a study by the University of California, Riverside shows that Open AI's ChatGPT requires three 16.9-oz. water bottles to generate a 100-word email.
Boal suggests that water administrators in the seven states drawing from the Colorado River should adopt a holistic approach to manage this finite commodity. He advocates for a balanced approach that considers the needs of all users, including households, agriculture, and industry.
In California, there are 312 Data Centers, with an average size of 244 acres. With the current water scarcity, it's crucial to ensure that these facilities are using water responsibly and are contributing to, rather than depleting, our water resources.
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