Amid growing criticism over the construction of AI data centers across the United States, Google is highlighting its initiatives to reduce environmental harm by actually enhancing water availability in local areas.
In a blog post released on Wednesday, the tech giant outlined five pledges concerning water consumption, aiming to replenish more water than its data centers utilize by 2030. Google also plans to invest in regional water infrastructure, explore alternative water sources for its operations, and maintain transparency regarding its water usage.
“We’re just one of many entities in this sector,” Ben Townsend, Google’s global infrastructure and sustainability chief, shared with The Verge. “We believe it’s crucial to provide a blueprint that communities can refer to. So, if another company proposes building a data center, the community can ask whether they are considering these five key aspects that prioritize local needs and watersheds.”
These commitments emerge amidst rising resistance to the rapid expansion of data centers, which are crucial for meeting AI’s significant energy demands. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, recently announced plans to generate $80 billion through stock sales to support this technological expansion. A recent Gallup poll revealed that over 70% of Americans are against having a data center built nearby, with half of them concerned about environmental impacts, particularly the excessive use of water.
AI data centers consume significant amounts of water for cooling purposes. A recent study indicated that the technology’s water use annually matches the global consumption of bottled water. Critics argue that Google’s previous estimates of its water usage for AI are misleading, as they reportedly neglect indirect water consumption. This has spurred industry-wide commitments to minimize water use and prevent consumer energy price hikes driven by data centers.
AI data centers require vast amounts of water for cooling, with a recent study finding that the technology used as much water annually as people drink from water bottles worldwide. Google’s prior estimates of its own water use for AI have been misleading, according to some researchers, who say they omit indirect water usage. The widespread resource concerns have driven a wave of commitments across the industry to limit water usage and prevent data centers from driving up consumer energy prices.
But Google’s Townsend defended the company’s record thus far. “To the best of our ability, we are accounting for the offsite water footprint,” Townsend said, “and I think we’ve made significant progress in reducing or eliminating the water footprint of that supply chain through our waterless renewable energy investments.”
In the blog post, Google’s vice president of global infrastructure Bikash Koley says water usage at data centers can lower overall energy use. “In many places, water cooling can reduce data center energy use by approximately 10% compared to air cooling,” Koley writes. “The aggregate water consumption of data centers is small — U.S. data centers use less than 1% of the water that Americans use on their lawns annually — but we are focused on protecting local water resources in all aspects of our data center operations.”
Koley says Google will be able to replenish more water than it consumes in the next four years by investing in projects that improve things like irrigation and infrastructure. It promises to keep reporting its annual water use and look for alternative sources like reclaimed wastewater, as it’s done in one Georgia county. The company also announced $17 million to support new water stewardship projects across seven states.
Those who worry about data centers sucking up all their water have valid concerns, Townsend said, though he says they might use less water than people think. “It would be a real disservice to the space to say there’s only misconceptions out there. That’s not true,” Townsend said. But, he added, the data center sector doesn’t use as much water as people might think, and now is the time to invest to make sure “that data center water use doesn’t become a problem.”
