The UK's water industry is facing a critical challenge as it grapples with the growing demand for water to support the expansion of datacentres, a key component of the government's AI growth plans. This issue is not just a local concern but a global trend, with similar debates raging in Ireland over the water usage of datacentres. The crux of the matter lies in the significant water requirements of these facilities, which are essential for managing the heat generated by densely packed servers. Cooling towers, chillers, and humidification systems directly consume water, while high electrical power needs indirectly contribute to water consumption. The situation is further complicated by the government's failure to adequately address water forecasts and policies related to datacentres.
Water UK, the trade body representing water companies in Britain and Northern Ireland, has issued a stark warning. In a briefing to MPs, they claim that the government's water forecasts are 'fatally flawed' and 'explicitly exclude' datacentres. The government's policies, including the AI growth zones, AI for science strategy, and AI opportunities action plan, make no mention of water considerations. This oversight is particularly concerning given the Environment Agency's recent national framework for water resources, which also failed to estimate the water demands of datacentres. The assumption that the country will always have enough water for its economic needs is, according to Water UK, 'nothing could be further from the truth'.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that datacentres are being built in water-stressed areas, with over three-quarters located in the south and east of England. This has led to millions of people in these regions facing hosepipe bans due to prolonged extreme heat and lack of rainfall. Water UK warns that new datacentre growth in these areas may be impossible without policy change, as the network is already under pressure. The trade body suggests that the only solutions are harmful environmental impacts or lengthy and costly reservoir construction.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that water companies are leaking five times more water through leaky pipes than even a national hosepipe ban would save, according to Greenpeace. This highlights the inefficiency and waste in the current water management system. The UK's highest concentration of datacentres is in Slough, where Affinity Water serves about 125 proposed or under-construction datacentres, many of which are subject to hosepipe bans. Some of these datacentres request up to 3 million litres of water a day, equivalent to the peak water demand of 3,500 homes.
The planning framework, designed around household growth and per-capita consumption, has not adapted to the water needs of commercial users like datacentres. This has led to a situation where datacentres are currently required to use drinking water only, with Water UK estimating that they use 6.6 million litres of drinking water every day. With the government's ambition to triple datacentre capacity by 2030, this could increase to 19.8 million litres a day, a figure that Jon Chappel, Water UK's deputy director, describes as 'unforgivable' and a 'genuine failing of government'.
The current water shortfall in England is 220 million litres more a day than was assumed in water forecasts, and this deficit is being met by increased environmental harm and restrictions on water use during droughts. The government's designation of datacentres as critical national infrastructure raises concerns about the prioritisation of these facilities over households during peak water demand. Oliver Hayes, from the campaign group Global Action Plan, warns that this could lead to datacentres being used for wasteful and pointless activities, protected and given favourable treatment when it comes to resources.
Water UK has called for the government to publish a drought hierarchy to set out which sectors are prioritised in times of water shortages, but ministers have yet to do so. This lack of clarity adds to the complexity of the issue. Meanwhile, the government is investing in infrastructure and building new reservoirs to secure water supplies, but the question remains whether these measures will be enough to meet the growing demand for water.
In conclusion, the UK's water industry is facing a critical challenge in meeting the growing demand for water to support the expansion of datacentres. The government's failure to adequately address water forecasts and policies related to datacentres is a significant concern. The situation is further complicated by the fact that datacentres are being built in water-stressed areas, and the inefficiency and waste in the current water management system. The future of the UK's water supply and the sustainability of its AI growth plans hang in the balance as the government and water industry work to find a solution to this complex issue.
