Reports Find Commercial UK Data Centres Use Minimal Water

A new report from techUK, published in collaboration with the Environment Agency, looks at how commercial data centres in England use water. The survey, which covered 73 commercial colocation facilities, found that most are low water users.

According to the report, 51% of data centres use waterless cooling systems, while 64% use under 10,000 cubic metres of water a year. That figure is less than a leisure centre and comparable to a Premier League football club.

The report also shows that 89% of operators either measure their water usage or use closed-loop systems where measurement is not needed. Only 4% reported consumption above 100,000 cubic metres a year, which is in line with industrial manufacturing use. These numbers refer to a sector that, in many cases, has already built water efficiency into its design.

Data centres are central to digital services across the country, powering everything from online banking to cloud storage. The government wants to grow sovereign computing power 20 times by 2030, and the report positions water management as an important factor in reaching that goal without putting too much strain on resources.

 

What Issues Are Expected As New Centres Are Built?

 

The BBC reports that there are currently an estimated 477 data centres in the UK, with numbers set to increase by almost 1/5. Planning documents reviewed by Barbour ABI show almost 100 new sites are expected in the next 5 years, much of that growth driven by the need for AI capacity.

The majority will be built in London and surrounds, though new builds are also planned in Wales, Scotland, Greater Manchester and the northeast of England. Google, Microsoft, and the Blackstone Group are among the companies investing in these big projects. Google’s £740m data centre in Hertfordshire, for example, is designed to use air cooling rather than water.

There are worries about whether this pace of growth can be matched with enough electricity and water. Anglian Water objected to plans for a 435 acre site in North Lincolnshire, and this is bringing up the questions and worries over the impact this could have on local water supply. Thames Water, already servicing Europe’s largest cluster of data centres in Slough, has also discussed water demand pressures with the government.

 

 

How Is Government Responding To Water Pressures?

 

techUK’s report recommends a national strategy to better manage data centre demand on water. Among its proposals are new reservoirs, a UK-wide Water Exploitation Index to monitor local stress, and digital-first monitoring systems to manage leaks and usage. The organisation also wants developers to measure and publish Water Usage Effectiveness across sites, while adopting cooling methods suited to local availability.

The government has committed £104bn to water infrastructure investment, according to the BBC. About 10 new reservoirs are planned across Lincolnshire, the West Midlands and the southeast of England, although none have yet been completed. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has overturned some council objections to data centre builds, referring to their importance as critical national infrastructure.

Water UK, the trade body for water companies, has said it wants to support the growth of these projects but argues that planning hurdles slow progress. techUK also calls for early coordination between developers, water firms and local councils, just as already happens with electricity connections.

Matthew Evans, Director of Markets and COO, techUK said:

“Data centres are the backbone of the UK’s digital economy and will be central to delivering our AI and innovation ambitions. This report shows that, contrary to some public perceptions, most commercial data centres are actively innovating to use minimal water.

“But as demand for compute grows, we must plan ahead. We need smart policies, resilient infrastructure, and stronger data to ensure digital and environmental resilience go hand in hand.”

Richard Thompson, the Environment Agency’s Deputy Director for Water Resources, said:

“I am encouraged by the work techUK have undertaken to better understand water usage – the findings suggest UK data centres are utilising a range of cooling technologies and becoming more water conscious.

“Advancements in technology must go hand-in-hand with protecting public water supplies, food security and the environment. It is vital the sector puts sustainability at its heart, and minimises water use in line with evolving standards.

“We are working with industry and other regulators to raise these to secure the best outcomes for our environment and our water supply for future generations.”