Drowning in Data Whitepaper

As the world races to scale up artificial intelligence, data centres are expanding at unprecedented speed. But with this digital growth comes a new sustainability challenge—water usage.

Techbuyer’s Head of Sustainability, AI and Automation, Astrid Wynne, collaborated with members of the Data Centre Alliance to create a 2025 Water Usage Guide, providing practical advice on designing systems for different environments, water efficiency, use of recycled water. This whitepaper highlights how water preservation, often overlooked in sustainability discussions, is now as critical as carbon reduction.

View the full whitepaper article here, or continue reading for a quick summary.

Why Water Matters

Over 4 billion people already face water scarcity each year, and AI is intensifying the strain. Unlike traditional workloads, AI requires dense servers and heavy cooling solutions, drastically increasing both direct water consumption and the hidden water footprint of energy supply.

For example, a single Google search consumes half a millilitre of water, while AI queries can require up to 1,000 times more.

In the UK, regions like Cambridge—dubbed the “Silicon Fenn”—are under water stress. Utilities are already restricting large non-domestic users, meaning data centre planning approvals could hinge on proven water efficiency.

Smarter Cooling, Smarter Design

This DCA whitepaper explores how technologies like liquid cooling, immersion systems, hybrid cooling, and closed loops can reduce water consumption by 50–70%. But the authors also stress that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution: data centres must be designed with the local environment in mind, considering temperature, humidity, and non-potable water sources.

Circular Economy = Circular Water

Perhaps most surprising, up to 80% of a data centre’s water usage comes from its energy supply. That’s why the industry must double down on renewable energy - wind and solar have negligible water footprints compared to coal or nuclear power.

It’s not just about cooling. Manufacturing servers consumes vast amounts of water - up to 2,000 gallons per server. Extending hardware lifecycles, reusing parts, and embracing circular economy practices can cut water and carbon footprints by nearly a third.

The Path Forward

The DCA calls for:

  1. Evaluation of alternative cooling solutions for water efficiency.
  2. Designing systems with the local environment in mind.
  3. Minimising the water footprint of the energy supply.
  4. Designing with non-potable water in mind.
  5. Applying systems thinking to water usage.
  6. Introducing Circular Economy for hardware refresh.

Data centres are the backbone of our digital future—but unless we tackle water usage with the same urgency as carbon, the industry risks “drowning in data” quite literally.

The message is clear: water efficiency is not optional—it’s the next frontier of sustainable digital infrastructure.

Techbuyer’s Sustainable IT Solutions

As a sustainable IT solutions provider, Techbuyer is committed to improving the environmental impact of the technology and data centre sectors around the world. Through dedicated research projects, thought leadership and industry expertise, we work to improve sustainability best practice throughout the technology sector. Find out more about our range of services here.