Data Centers' Water Footprint Rivals Major California Urban Use
A Ceres study finds data centers in seven states withdraw about 3.4 trillion gallons of freshwater annually for electricity, equating to roughly 12 times the combined annual water use of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Washington, DC, and signaling serious water-stress risks as data-center growth continues. The report emphasizes withdrawals (the total water drawn, much of which is returned) versus consumption (water permanently lost), with local impacts depending on conditions. Some researchers, however, argue that nationwide indirect consumptive use is far smaller, around 650,000 acre-feet, so relying on withdrawals alone can misstate risk. The findings raise concerns for arid regions like Texas and Arizona amid expanding AI-driven data-center development.