ChainThink reports that, on August 6, according to the Kansas Health Institute, U.S. data center water consumption could rise significantly due to the expansion of AI and data centers.
The report cites calculations from U.S. Department of Energy laboratories, stating that U.S. data centers directly consumed approximately 1.7 billion gallons of water in 2023, a figure that could increase two to fourfold by 2028. It notes that large data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water per day, primarily for cooling.
In 2021, one-fifth of data centers in the United States were located in water-stressed regions, with some facilities sourcing more than half of their water from municipal drinking water supplies, and indirect water consumption from power generation was not included in standard data center water usage metrics. Local governments have begun tightening permitting requirements.
Last year, Tucson, Arizona, rejected a data center related to Amazon due to concerns it could become the city’s largest water user; this year, Kansas City requires new projects to undergo city council review and assess their impact on water resources and residents’ electricity bills.