Not as thirsty as we thought - average data center uses less water than a 'typical leisure center', study claims

• Data centers in England use far less water than many expected
• TechUK survey shows nearly two-thirds of facilities consume modest water amounts
• Closed-loop cooling systems reduce dependence on traditional water-intensive methods

The world's expanding network of data centers has often been linked with heavy environmental costs, especially when it comes to water.

These facilities form the base for cloud services, LLM training, and the many AI tools now embedded across industries.

However a new survey by techUK, conducted with the UK Environment Agency, has claimed data centers are “not intensive water users” as many people think.

Very few sites with industry-level water usage

The report found nearly two-thirds (64%) of commercial sites in England consume less than 10,000 cubic meters of water per year.

This level of demand is described as lower than that of a “typical leisure center” and similar to the water requirements of a Premier League football club.

Only 4% of facilities reported usage over 100,000 cubic meters annually, a figure associated more with industrial production.

Cooling has long been considered the driver of data center water consumption, although the industry is now moving toward alternatives such as waterless and closed-loop systems.

More than half of the facilities surveyed already rely on waterless cooling, while many others use direct-to-chip techniques that recycle water within sealed systems.

In fact, 89% of operators said they no longer track consumption because their systems use “no water beyond the regular functioning of any building.”

While the report stresses operators are “actively innovating” to cut demand, skepticism remains.

Questions also remain over whether reported figures capture the full lifecycle of water use, including indirect impacts from energy generation.

TechUK argues that data centers are vital for the UK economy, contributing billions in annual value and enabling ambitions in AI and digital innovation.

The trade body is calling for stronger planning frameworks, including a proposed “water exploitation index” to track local stress levels.

“I am encouraged by the work techUK has undertaken to better understand water usage, and the findings suggest UK data centers are using a range of cooling technologies and becoming more water conscious,” said Richard Thompson, Deputy Director for Water Resources at the Environment Agency.

“It is vital the sector puts sustainability at its heart, and minimizes water use in line with evolving standards."

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