Public water systems in the US face potential pressure as datacenters demand more water for cooling, especially during hotter times of the year, according to a study from UC Riverside. Although using water is efficient for minimizing power consumption in server farms, the study highlights escalation to peak demand levels surpassed by many local capacities. The investigation foresees that datacenters might need 697 million to 1.45 billion gallons of additional peak water daily by 2030, equating to New York City’s daily usage.

Datacenter cooling occurs in stages: server-level cooling, typically air-based or closed-loop liquid, and facility-level cooling, often utilizing water. Facilities employing evaporation cooling may draw millions of gallons daily during intense heat. The study stresses that even if overall water usage lowers, the peak demand could reach half of New York’s annual use.

There are approximately 50,000 community water systems in the US, of which only 708 serve more than 100,000 people. The study recommends datacenters accurately report peak water use and collaborate with local utilities to adjust cooling methods, helping infrastructure meet rising demands.