Do Data Centers Use a Lot of Water?

Key Facts About Data Center Water Use

• Closed-loop cooling systems do not require ongoing water for cooling once operational
• A one-time initial water charge is required and remains in the system for the life of the asset
• Ongoing water use is primarily for standard office needs

Do Data Centers Use a Lot of Water?

You might have heard that data centers require millions of gallons of water every day. It’s completely natural for these kinds of numbers to spark conversation. When a single facility is compared to the daily water needs of a neighborhood, town or city, asking questions is a sign of a caring and engaged community.

Some data centers choose to prioritize communities and the environment, while others make decisions based on cost alone. Let’s explore the facts about data center water usage, three key ways data centers can be more sustainable and how QTS makes a verifiable commitment to our communities with our water usage.

At QTS, being a good neighbor and protecting our environment is fundamental to each and every decision we make. It is what guides our choices and drives innovation that reaches well beyond our walls. Where others see an expense, we see a direct investment in a community and a way to reshape what responsible data center operations look like.

Learn More About QTS Sustainability

How Much Water Do Data Centers Use?

Data center water usage is one of the most misunderstood topics in the industry, partly because there are so many different cooling approaches, building designs and technology needs.

So how much water does a data center use? The honest answer is that it depends. Water use varies widely depending on design. In traditional evaporative systems, water use can be significant. By contrast, facilities using closed-loop systems avoid ongoing water use for cooling and typically consume water primarily for standard building needs like restrooms and humidification. Several factors drive that variability, including system designs, computing power and day-to-day operational practices.

The industry measures water efficiency using a metric called Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE). WUE is the standard industry metric that measures how much water a data center uses relative to the energy it consumes for IT assets. This is the total water used divided by the energy consumed by the equipment. Because our closed-loop cooling system does not consume water, we are able to deliver a Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) of 0 to cool the data halls. WUE is the one of the most relevant metrics for measuring water use and conservation in the data center industry.

QTS operates with water efficiency as a top community priority, not an afterthought. That commitment shows up in the systems we build, the investments we make in innovative cooling designs that protect local resources and our goal of achieving a portfolio-wide annual WUE reduction of 5%.

Why Do Data Centers Need Water?

Data center water usage comes down to one main issue: managing heat.

Computer servers generate heat as they process data. If that heat is not removed quickly, the equipment can overheat. When that happens, vital everyday systems can stall. This can include the essential digital infrastructure powering local hospitals, banking networks, aviation control and the internet connections that keep us all linked.

Historically, water has been the most efficient vehicle for capturing and transferring heat away from the servers.

As we rely on digital tools in almost every aspect of life, there is a constant demand for greater processing power and storage capacity to handle the sheer volume of data being generated and requested. This drives the need for additional servers, which in turn requires intensive cooling. To help offset this demand, QTS’s closed-loop system recirculates water rather than relying on a continuous supply of new water. This greatly reduces the impact on local resources while safeguarding a community’s shared water supply.

What Makes QTS Different

Like any closed-loop system, these designs require a one-time initial water fill that stays within the system over its lifetime. After that, ongoing water use is limited primarily to standard office needs, not cooling. Compared to traditional designs that rely on evaporative cooling, closed-loop systems can reduce or eliminate ongoing water demand for cooling.

What Is the Local Impact of Data Center Water Use?

When a data center joins a community, it creates an opportunity for open dialogue and partnership. Forward-thinking facility design can actively support local environmental goals. QTS approaches each neighborhood with a commitment to true partnership, innovative engineering and tailored water stewardship strategies.

We actively collaborate with state and local officials from day one, conducting comprehensive environmental surveys and listening closely to residents. Our goal is to seamlessly integrate into the local ecosystem, designed to minimize impact on shared water resources.

This deep community integration ensures that before a project even begins, we fully understand the specific goals of the people who live there. By combining local data with on-going community conversations, we help protect shared resources and build a sustainable, prosperous future together.

How Can Data Centers Be More Sustainable?

Here is what best practice looks like for operators committed to doing right by their host communities:

• Improve WUE targets: Setting and publishing clear water efficiency goals creates a measurable standard that keeps operators accountable to the public.

• Invest in closed-loop cooling: QTS continues to invest in and utilize closed-loop cooling systems as part of our standard design. Closed-loop cooling systems continuously circulate the same water without evaporation loss, compared to traditional evaporative cooling systems. This is one of the most impactful choices a company can make for a local ecosystem and QTS has utilized this design at every new QTS greenfield buildings since 2019.

• Implement water recycling programs: Utilizing reclaimed water and on-site recycling reduces dependence on the municipal water supply, easing pressure on local freshwater resources.

QTS’s Water Technology Is Designed to Be Different ^TM

QTS built its approach to water around a vision of leadership and innovation that puts people first. This focus allows us to protect shared environmental resources and enhance the overall health and wellbeing of the communities we call home.

This is not just about regulatory compliance or public relations. We believe that we have a deep responsibility to the neighborhoods where we operate, and sustainable design is simply the right thing to do.

To learn more about QTS’s full community commitments, including water, energy and local economic impact, visit Q.com/commitments.