AI Data Centers Threaten Europe's Water Supply
Source: politico.eu
The EU aims to rival the U.S. and China in artificial intelligence, but some critics are concerned that policymakers haven't considered the sector's significant water needs. In Aragon, northeastern Spain, farmers face increasing drought and potential competition for water with Big Tech companies.
Microsoft and Amazon are investing heavily in the water-stressed region to build data centers, which consume millions of liters of water annually. The Spanish government supports these investments, highlighting Spain's position in technology and AI. The European Commission aims to triple the EU's data center capacity within a few years. However, local communities are wary of tech companies using their water resources.
Local Concerns
Grassroots groups are forming in response to concerns about water usage. Activists are calling for a moratorium on new data centers in Spain, arguing that farmers are the most vulnerable and angered by the data centers' water consumption. Local officials are also opposing the plans.
Water Consumption
Across Europe, this competition for water is affecting the EU's AI ambitions. Data centers require significant cooling, leading to high water consumption. In 2024, the European data center industry used around 62 million cubic meters of water. This figure is projected to reach 90 million cubic meters by 2030. Microsoft's water consumption nearly doubled between 2020 and 2023, reaching almost 8 million cubic meters.
Government Response and Tech Solutions
An internal document indicates strategies to promote sustainable infrastructure for AI and data processing in the EU. A draft of the European Commission’s Water Resilience Strategy suggests that sectors like data centers should maximize water savings. The Spanish government points to its Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which includes a “seal” for sustainable data centers. The Aragon government claims that water consumption is tightly controlled and that advanced technology is improving efficiency.
Microsoft believes AI can improve water and energy efficiency. The company is using AI in Spain to detect leaks in water infrastructure. Others are developing more water-efficient data center technologies, such as liquid cooling and closed-loop water recycling systems. Microsoft aims to be water positive by 2030, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google have similar goals. However, activists like Gómez view these efforts as greenwashing, noting that Amazon is seeking to increase its water usage in Spain.
An Oxford University lecturer says that replenishing more water than is taken out is impossible, because there is a limited amount of water available.