US datacenters tripled their water footprint in 10 years

From 2014 to 2023, datacenters in the United States tripled their water consumption, with the CRS estimating usage at approximately 17 billion gallons in 2023. A recent Library of Congress report examines the role of water in server farms and potential methods to reduce the industry's impact. The surge in datacenter construction, driven by the AI craze following the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022, has contributed to this increase.

Specialized AI hardware within these facilities typically consumes more power and requires additional cooling, leading to higher water usage. While direct water consumption at datacenters accounts for only about 2% of total US water usage, indirect consumption through electricity generation makes up more than 80% of the total. Municipal water systems, which supply 97% of the water to US facilities, are the primary source of water for these centers.

Water usage charges for operators are often negotiated through water service agreements with municipalities, which may limit the disclosure of detailed information. Federal oversight of water use in the datacenter industry is currently limited, as it is primarily a state-level responsibility. The CRS report highlights several bills introduced during the current congressional term that aim to address datacenter water use, though most have not progressed beyond the introduction stage.