Study warns German data centers could double water demand by 2030

Why the issue matters

Data centers need cooling, and depending on the technology used, that can mean substantial water consumption. As operators plan so-called mega data centers, often driven by demand for AI computing, the effect on regional water supplies moves into focus. A doubling of demand within a few years would be significant, especially in regions where water is already scarce at times.

For municipalities and regional utilities, the study is a prompt to consider water availability early in planning and approval processes, rather than after a project has been built. For operators, it raises the prospect of closer scrutiny of cooling concepts and site choices.

What comes next

The debate over the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure in Germany is likely to continue as more projects move from announcement to construction. The alternatives raised by the Öko-Institut offer a starting point for that discussion, which will have to weigh climate goals, energy use and water protection together.

The study adds water to a list of resource questions, alongside electricity demand and land use, that policymakers and the industry will need to answer if Germany wants to grow as a data center location without straining local supplies.