US data centers could use 9-17% of US electricity by 2030 and already consume billions of gallons of water a year. Where the water goes, which regions are stressed, and the fixes.
Clarity for a changing planet — SustainabilityAwakening.com
9–17%
Projected by 2030, up from 4–5% today.
Source: EPRI, Feb 2026
Cooling towers evaporate water to shed server heat, and local supplies must replace it.
17.4B gal
Consumed directly by US data centers, before power-plant water.
Source: LBNL, 2024
Avg site water use0.36 L/kWh
Power per year876 GWh
Water per year≈83M gal
Source: LBNL rate; our calculation
2,315 of 9,347 mapped data centers sit where demand outstrips supply at least a month a year.
Source: ACS, Oct 2026
Data centers could raise Phoenix's summer water stress by 22%, one report estimates.
Source: Water Foundation, Jul 2026
Thermal power plants need cooling water, so clean, low-water power cuts both carbon and water.
Microsoft chip cooling125M L/yr saved
Google fleet PUE1.09
Industry average PUE1.54
Source: Microsoft; Google; Uptime
PUE and water use compared, with sourced benchmarks.
Read the cooling guide