Data Centers on Collision Course with Mega-Drought

July 12, 2021

Big data and computer industries are moving to Arizona – but may be running into some hard limits in terms of water.

Posted by greenman3610
Filed in Crock of the Week

5 Comments »

5 Responses to “Data Centers on Collision Course with Mega-Drought”

indy222 Says:

July 12, 2021 at 6:05 pm
The Colorado is already dry before it hits the border… more short term’ism from our corporate overlords.

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Keith McClary Says:

July 12, 2021 at 9:09 pm
I don’t understand. Will this evaporate 1.7 millions of gallons per day (not just return warm water to the canal?

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- rhymeswithgoalie Says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 1:33 am
  Good question. Even if it does return warmer water to the canal, that will increase evaporation.
  
  I wonder whether the water they take in will be cool enough to draw off the amount of heat the machines generate.
  
  Reply
redskylite Says:

July 13, 2021 at 4:53 am
Interesting research on data centers water usage currently in EOS..

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“U.S. Data Centers Rely on Water from Stressed Basins

All data centers consume water directly (to cool the electronics at the site) and indirectly (through electricity generation at the power plants that service the sites). Using records from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Energy Information Association, and data from previous academic studies, the researchers matched the data centers with their most likely sources of electricity and water.

https://eos.org/articles/u-s-data-centers-rely-on-water-from-stressed-basins

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- rhymeswithgoalie Says:
  
  July 15, 2021 at 3:18 pm
  I wonder why they don’t bury data centers. They can vent in some cool air in the winter and avoid roasting in the summer.
  
  Reply