India: Data centers boom as water supply runs low
More than half of India's data centers are in regions that are already water-stressed ― and the country is racing to build more.
Residents of Khora, an area in Ghaziabad, India, have faced water supply challenges for years. Water is sourced from groundwater, often requiring extensive digging to extract. Deepak Joshi, president of the Khora Residents Association, has been advocating for a solution for a decade, but progress remains elusive. The region's increasing reliance on data centers, driven by global demand for AI infrastructure, exacerbates the water crisis.
Data centers demand substantial cooling, consuming high volumes of water and potentially raising local temperatures. Many families rely on shared borewells, often paying high monthly fees, and some have even moved away due to water scarcity. While authorities plan to address the issue, residents remain frustrated, with no updates on alternative solutions.
Meanwhile, large data centers, such as AdaniConnex, continue to operate with inadequate monitoring and regulation of their water consumption.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Top Stories)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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