As more data centres are being built to meet growing demand, their water use is coming under scrutiny – particularly in regions of the US affected by the ongoing megadrought
Cooling towers pump large amounts of water through data centres
Shutterstock/WaitForLight
Most tech companies have water management programs that are rated as weak, and many won’t even disclose how much water they use, according to a new analysis. This comes as much of the world has experienced sweltering heat waves and dried-up rivers amidst the growing impacts of climate change – and the western US is in the 22nd year of its worst drought in more than a millennium.
Megadrought in North America
This story is part of our Parched Earth series …