U.S. data center water use may quadruple by 2028, prompting increased regulatory scrutiny.

According to Beating Monitor, the Kansas Health Institute released a report examining the pressures on water, electricity, and public health caused by the expansion of AI and data centers. Citing estimates from U.S. Department of Energy laboratories, the report states 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. Large data centers can use up to 5 million gallons of water per day, primarily for cooling. Regions facing water scarcity are under even greater strain: in 2021, one-fifth of U.S. data centers were located in areas with water stress. In some facilities, more than half of water usage comes from municipal drinking water supplies, and indirect water consumption associated with power generation is not included in standard data center water usage metrics. Local governments have begun imposing restrictions: last year, the city of Tucson, Arizona, rejected a data center project linked to Amazon due to its potential to become the city’s largest water user. This year, Kansas City has required new projects to undergo city council review and assess their impacts on water resources and residents’ electricity bills.