Navigating Environmental Concerns Confronting U.S. Data Centers Related to Water Quantity and Quality

The rapid growth of data centers across the United States reflects the increasing demand for computing power in our society related to services such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Along with the technological capability being supplied, data centers utilize a significant quantity of environmental resources. While power consumption typically receives primary focus, the utilization and impacts to water quality and quantity also deserve attention. More recently, concerns over water quality and quantity have created resistance and barriers to data center development. This review and analysis of the growth, status, and future trends related to water utilization by data centers provides the framework for recommendations that allow data center developers and operators to more smoothly and predictably navigate stakeholder concerns.