arXiv:2607.02531v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Water use by data centers is routinely reported as a single footprint, but water is consumed through two physically distinct pathways: at the site for cooling and in the power system that generates electricity. We mapped both pathways for 472 U.S. hyperscale facilities by linking facility locations to electricity regions, hydrologic basins, and water-stress data. Under baseline assumptions, operational water consumption totals approximately 300 GL yr^-1 (range 205-451 across scenarios), with electricity-related water contributing three-quarters
The accelerating build-out of hyperscale data centers for AI necessitates a re-evaluation of their environmental footprints, especially regarding critical resources like water.
Understanding the precise water consumption pathways of AI infrastructure reveals critical vulnerabilities and structural constraints previously understated, impacting future compute deployment and geopolitical stability.
The focus on data center water use expands beyond direct cooling to include the entire grid-scale electricity generation process, making water scarcity a more immediate and pressing constraint for AI development.
- · Water-efficient cooling technology providers
- · Regions with abundant freshwater resources or robust water infrastructure
- · Renewable energy developers (less water intensive power generation)
- · Data centers in water-stressed regions
- · Energy utilities reliant on water-intensive power generation
- · Companies with high compute demand in arid areas
Increased scrutiny and regulation on data center water consumption will emerge.
The geographical distribution of new hyperscale data center builds will shift towards water-rich regions, potentially creating new economic centers.
Water rights and access could become a significant geopolitical factor in the 'AI race', influencing national AI strategies.
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Read at arXiv cs.AI