The UK faces a critical water shortage that threatens its ambitious datacentre expansion plans, according to a stark warning from Water UK. Datacentres rely on massive amounts of water for cooling servers, and current government forecasts fail to account for this demand, the trade body says.
Why Datacentres Need So Much Water
Datacentres generate enormous heat from densely packed servers. Cooling towers, chillers, and humidification systems consume water directly. Additionally, the high electrical power needs of these facilities indirectly require large water volumes for energy production.
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Water UK's briefing to MPs calls the government's water forecasts "fatally flawed" because they "explicitly exclude" datacentres. The trade body notes that the government "makes not a single mention of water" in its AI growth policies, including the AI opportunities action plan.
Current Water Stress in the UK
More than three-quarters of existing datacentres are located in the south and east of England, regions already under hosepipe bans due to prolonged heat and low rainfall. A House of Lords report in May warned of a 5 billion litre per day shortfall for public water supplies by 2055.
| Region | Datacentre Concentration | Water Stress Level |
|---|---|---|
| South East England | High | Critical |
| East of England | High | Severe |
| Rest of UK | Low | Moderate |
Key Challenges for Future Growth
- Existing water networks cannot support new datacentres without policy changes
- Building new reservoirs takes up to 15 years to plan and construct
- Increasing water extraction from the environment may cause ecological harm
- Leakage and demand targets are already very ambitious
What the Government Must Address
Water UK emphasizes that any new datacentre growth in water-stressed areas "may be impossible" without immediate policy reform. The Environment Agency's latest water resources framework also fails to include datacentre water demands, leaving a critical gap in planning.
To meet AI growth targets, the UK must integrate water resource planning into its digital infrastructure strategy. This includes investing in water-efficient cooling technologies and locating new datacentres in regions with adequate water supplies. The background to this story is set out in Saudi Prince's 1977 Iceberg Tow: A Water Crisis Fix That Became a Cocktail.
FAQ
How much water does a typical datacentre use?
A large datacentre can consume millions of litres of water daily for cooling and humidity control, depending on its size and location.
Why is the UK especially vulnerable to water shortages for datacentres?
Most datacentres are in southern and eastern England, which face severe water stress due to high population density, low rainfall, and aging infrastructure.
What solutions exist for reducing datacentre water use?
Innovations like liquid cooling, recycled water systems, and locating facilities in cooler climates can significantly cut water consumption.
With the UK's AI ambitions at stake, addressing the water-datacentre nexus is urgent. Policymakers must revise water forecasts to include digital infrastructure and invest in sustainable cooling technologies to avoid a crisis.
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