Data Centers' Hidden Water Cost: 3.4 Trillion Gallons a Year

Water Behind the Watts: The Hidden Risk of Powering Data Centers

A new report from Ceres reveals that the electricity powering U.S. data centers consumes far more water than the cooling systems inside the facilities. Across seven states hosting half of the nation's data centers, power generation uses about 3.4 trillion gallons of freshwater annually—12 times the combined water use of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. Most of that electricity comes from water-stressed regions, yet few data center operators or power producers account for these risks. The report urges action from utilities, policymakers, and investors as AI drives rapid data center expansion.