Data centres, the backbone of artificial intelligence, consume enormous amounts of water and energy—placing new pressures on local communities and ecosystems. Photo by Christopher Bowns/Flickr.

Even as debates continue about the potential of artificial intelligence, some jurisdictions are promoting themselves as prime locations for the data centres essential to training and running AI models. Among them is the Government of Alberta, whose AI Data Centre Strategy claims the province has “the natural resources to power and sustain AI data centres” and aims to “position Alberta as a global leader in AI-driven data centre operations.”

Hosting these facilities will have major consequences for nearby communities, particularly by threatening water supplies and generating environmental inequities. As climate change increasingly disrupts water cycles, the water footprint of data centres will become even more pressing for both local residents and policymakers.

Water is critical to data centres in two main ways. First, cooling systems depend on it to keep computer hardware within the recommended range of 18 to 27 degrees Celsius. There are a few different methods of maintaining this temperature, but most involve water. Second, large amounts are used in generating the electricity that powers these centres. This consumption can take place close to or far from the site, depending on where the electricity is produced. Thermal power plants like coal and nuclear facilities use vastly more water than renewable sources such as solar and wind. In addition, semiconductor fabrication for computer chips contributes to overall water use, though this is relatively small compared to cooling and power generation.

The amount of water required also varies depending on what the data centre is used for. The demands of training generative AI models, for instance, may look very different from the requirements of the US National Security Agency’s massive Utah data centre, which was exposed in Edward Snowden’s revelations.

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