Data centers need a lot of water to cool down their computer servers that generate a lot of heat and cooling them down is essential to maintain their performance. A lot of water is used in evaporative cooling systems, chiller plants and humidification to maintain the temperature levels of servers in data centers, but it is also increasing the water shortage problems. Google’s 2024 Environment Report talks about how much their data centers are consuming water in America and which data centers are consuming the most water.
According to that report, the data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa consumed 980 million gallons of water in 2023, which is the most water consumption by any data center in Google’s report. Followed by Council Bluffs is Mayes County, Oklahoma which consumed 815 million gallons of water in 2023. The data center in Berkeley County, South Carolina was the third thirstiest data center with 763 million gallons of water in 2023. Other thirstiest data centers in the top five were Douglas County, Georgia and Lenoir, North Carolina which consumed 346 million gallons and 337 million gallons of water respectively in 2023.
All of the water used by Google’s data centers was drinkable and the total amount of water used was nearly 6 billion gallons of water in 2023. Most data centers do not consume all of the water as some of the water used by them is circulated in a closed-loop cooling system with only some water loss. In some humid and dry areas, water is also being used to control humidity by evaporation in those data centers. When the heated water returns to the ecosystem, it can have harmful impacts on the environment.
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According to that report, the data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa consumed 980 million gallons of water in 2023, which is the most water consumption by any data center in Google’s report. Followed by Council Bluffs is Mayes County, Oklahoma which consumed 815 million gallons of water in 2023. The data center in Berkeley County, South Carolina was the third thirstiest data center with 763 million gallons of water in 2023. Other thirstiest data centers in the top five were Douglas County, Georgia and Lenoir, North Carolina which consumed 346 million gallons and 337 million gallons of water respectively in 2023.
All of the water used by Google’s data centers was drinkable and the total amount of water used was nearly 6 billion gallons of water in 2023. Most data centers do not consume all of the water as some of the water used by them is circulated in a closed-loop cooling system with only some water loss. In some humid and dry areas, water is also being used to control humidity by evaporation in those data centers. When the heated water returns to the ecosystem, it can have harmful impacts on the environment.
| Location (State) | Water Used 2023 (Gallons) |
|---|---|
| Council Bluffs (IA) | 980M |
| Mayes County (OK) | 815M |
| Berkeley County (SC) | 763M |
| Douglas County (GA) | 346M |
| Lenoir (NC) | 337M |
| The Dalles (OR) | 302M |
| Montgomery County (TN) | 289M |
| Leesburg (VA) | 173M |
| Henderson (NV) | 159M |
| Jackson County (AL) | 142M |
| Midlothian (TX) | 136M |
| Papillion (NE) | 135M |
| New Albany (OH) | 127M |
| Sterling (VA) | 56M |
| Ashburn (VA) | 55M |
| Lockbourne (OH) | 23M |
| Lancaster (OH) | 8M |
| Storey County (NV) | 0.2M |
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• Is AI the Future or a Threat? 36% of Americans Fear It Could End Humanity
• New Research Shows Despite Increase in Ransomware Attacks in 2024, There Was a Decline in Its Payments
