Many data centers are located where water resources are limited

AI Summary

A global analysis finds that about one-quarter of data centers are located in areas where water demand exceeds supply during at least one month annually. Researchers project that this share could grow to one-third under a future climate scenario, raising concerns about water availability for data center operations.

One-quarter of the world's data centers are located in areas where water demand exceeds supply for at least one month each year, according to a new global analysis. Researchers reporting in Environmental Science & Technology mapped data center locations against available water resources and found that, under a future climate scenario, the proportion of facilities in water-stressed areas could rise to one-third.