Data centers and water stress: what are the climate impacts?

A quarter of the world's data centers – approximately 25% – are located in regions where water demand exceeds availability for at least one month each year, according to a new analysis published in Environmental Science & Technology. This proportion could reach a third if current climate trends continue, raising critical issues for the stability of the digital sector and water resource management.

What the study reveals: Geographical distribution and key figures on water stress

The research team superimposed the locations of over 10,000 data centers worldwide with water availability maps from the Copernicus program and ECMWF models. By combining these datasets, they identified that 25% of installations are in areas where monthly water demand exceeds supply, including arid regions in North America, the Middle East, and some parts of Southeast Asia.

By projecting climate scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 up to 2050, predictive models indicate an increase in water stress in river basins where many data centers are already concentrated. Under the most pessimistic scenario, the proportion of sites exposed to at least one month of water scarcity per year increases to 33%, or a third of installations. This increase reflects not only the intensification of droughts but also the rapid growth in the number of data centers, which consume on average 1-2% of a country's total electricity consumption.

Scientific explanation of the phenomenon

Data centers use large quantities of water primarily for server cooling. The increase in computing power generates significant heat; to avoid overheating, installations rely on water-cooling systems, which circulate liquid through heat exchangers. In hot climates, the temperature difference between ambient air and cooling liquid decreases, requiring operators to increase water flow rate to maintain adequate operating temperatures.

Meanwhile, climate change alters hydrological cycles: precipitation becomes more irregular, drought periods are prolonged, and groundwater recharge slows down. Thus, in areas already experiencing an imbalance between supply and demand, water availability decreases precisely when data center consumption increases. This double constraint explains why the proportion of installations in risk zones could rise to a third under future climate scenarios.