Most of the discussion about data center sustainability is focused on the type of power and how much of it is consumed. But excessive water usage is becoming an increasingly important and controversial aspect of data center operations. Many data centers use a lot of water in cooling and humidification. Hyperscalers, in particular, are under severe pressure from environmental groups due to their heavy usage of valuable water resources and the fact that their water consumption has expanded sharply due to the needs of AI. Drew Robb, writing for TechRepublic Premium, explains the many issues of water usage, its role in data center sustainability, and what should be done about it.
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HOW DATA CENTERS CAN ACHIEVE WATER SUSTAINABILITY
There are many things data centers can do to achieve water sustainability. They include:
Monitor water consumption: As less than a third of data centers measure their water consumption, an early first step is to begin to measure it and monitor it. You can’t manage what you can’t measure.
Audit consumption: Data center managers should conduct an audit of water usage to isolate areas of extreme waste and immediately address areas that are the simplest and cheapest to fix. This might include raising the temperature of chilled water, replacing inefficient chillers, and raising set points for data center temperature to lower cooling demands.
Transparency: The hyperscalers have gone public with their numbers. Other data centers are gradually following suit. Those resisting these efforts will one day face a regulatory and PR firestorm. The best policy is transparency. Instead of hiding the numbers, engage with the local community on efforts to lower consumption and achieve water sustainability.
Eliminate toxic chemicals: It is common practice for data centers to add toxic chemicals to potable water to eliminate pathogens, effectively turning good drinking water into wastewater. Eliminate such practices and find benign alternatives.
Digitize: As part of measurement, monitoring, and general efficiency, data centers should adopt digital technologies such as data center infrastructure management and cooling/water management systems.
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TIME SAVED: Crafting this content required 20 hours of dedicated writing, editing, research, and design.
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