Annual water consumption by global data centers could rise to 644 billion liters by 2030 from 222 billion liters in 2025 in the absence of water-saving measures, according to Rystad Energy.
Moderate improvements in water efficiency could reduce consumption to 543 billion liters, while aggressive measures could bring it down to 388 billion liters, says Le Minh Khoi, global head of data center and hydrogen research.
These figures account only for direct water use in cooling computing capacity, while water is also involved in the electricity supply chain, which adds complexity, the expert noted. Furthermore, consumption varies significantly depending on cooling technology, climate, and whether water withdrawal or actual consumption is measured.
Major data center operators, including AWS, Google, Microsoft, and Meta (recognized as extremist in Russia and banned), have committed to using water more responsibly. All four companies aim to achieve "water positive" status by 2030, meaning they will replenish water supplies more actively than they consume. They are working on freshwater restoration projects and improving water efficiency, including in agriculture.
At the same time, 34% of data center water consumption by 2030 will occur in regions with high and extremely high water stress, but the obligation to adopt less water-intensive cooling technologies could reduce water consumption in these regions by 45%, Rystad notes.
Among the highest-risk regions are Jamnagar and Thane in India, as well as Reeves County in Texas. Data centers in these locations have high water consumption relative to the scale of water scarcity.
Rystad also notes that the spread of AI does not necessarily lead to a proportional increase in water consumption, as liquid cooling at the server rack level can reduce the thermal load on data center systems and allow greater use of dry cooling.
Therefore, technologies like those Nvidia has planned for its new Vera Rubin platform could help limit water use, although potential savings still depend heavily on climate. In particular, dry cooling is generally more effective in colder climates, according to the press release.
