TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 1429.consprcy@1:2320/105 2d11a89f   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Linux master/123f2d28a Jul 12 2025 GCC 12.2.0   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.28-Linux master/123f2d28a Jul 12 2025 GCC 12.2.0   
   BBSID: CAPCITY2   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   Not as thirsty as we thought - average data center uses less water than a   
   'typical leisure center', study claims   
      
   Date:   
   Sun, 24 Aug 2025 18:33:00 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   Surveyed English data centers show lower water consumption than expected,    
   with cooling innovations reducing demand.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   The world's expanding network of data centers has often been linked with    
   heavy environmental costs, especially when it comes to water.    
      
   These facilities form the base for cloud services, LLM training, and the many   
   AI tools now embedded across industries.    
      
   However a new survey by techUK , conducted with the UK Environment Agency,    
   has claimed data centers are not intensive water users as many people think.   
      
   Very few sites with industry-level water usage    
      
   The report found nearly two-thirds (64%) of commercial sites in England   
   consume less than 10,000 cubic meters of water per year.    
      
   This level of demand is described as lower than that of a typical leisure   
   center and similar to the water requirements of a Premier League football   
   club.    
      
   Only 4% of facilities reported usage over 100,000 cubic meters annually, a   
   figure associated more with industrial production.    
      
   Cooling has long been considered the driver of data center water consumption,   
   although the industry is now moving toward alternatives such as waterless and   
   closed-loop systems.    
      
   More than half of the facilities surveyed already rely on waterless cooling,   
   while many others use direct-to-chip techniques that recycle water within   
   sealed systems.    
      
   In fact, 89% of operators said they no longer track consumption because their   
   systems use no water beyond the regular functioning of any building.    
      
   While the report stresses operators are actively innovating to cut demand,   
   skepticism remains.    
      
   Questions also remain over whether reported figures capture the full    
   lifecycle of water use, including indirect impacts from energy generation.    
      
   TechUK argues that data centers are vital for the UK economy, contributing   
   billions in annual value and enabling ambitions in AI and digital innovation.    
      
   The trade body is calling for stronger planning frameworks, including a   
   proposed water exploitation index to track local stress levels.    
      
   I am encouraged by the work techUK has undertaken to better understand water   
   usage, and the findings suggest UK data centers are using a range of cooling   
   technologies and becoming more water conscious, said Richard Thompson, Deputy   
   Director for Water Resources at the Environment Agency.    
      
   "It is vital the sector puts sustainability at its heart, and minimizes water   
   use in line with evolving standards."   
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/pro/not-as-thirsty-as-we-thought-average-data-center   
   -uses-less-water-than-a-typical-leisure-center-study-claims   
      
   $$   
   --- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux   
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)   
   SEEN-BY: 105/81 106/201 128/187 129/14 305 153/7715 154/110 218/700   
   SEEN-BY: 226/30 227/114 229/110 111 206 300 307 317 400 426 428 470   
   SEEN-BY: 229/664 700 705 266/512 291/111 320/219 322/757 342/200 396/45   
   SEEN-BY: 460/58 712/848 902/26 2320/0 105 304 3634/12 5075/35   
   PATH: 2320/105 229/426