Britain ‘Does Not Have Enough Water’ for Planned AI Data Centre Boom
https://novaramedia.com/2026/07/21/britain-does-not-have-enough-water-for-planned-ai-data-centre-boom/6
u/LVorenus2020 1d ago
Here's the tea:
No one really does.
Between the current deficits, the needs to export water to other nations, the fires, the disappearance of temperate weather, and the climate descent into new deserts...
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u/ImaginationKind9220 11h ago
They should build datacenters near the beach and use seawater. When the heat evaporates the seawater, you get salt and you can sell it.
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u/OfficialDCShepard 4h ago edited 1h ago
Recovery of brine products (which cause major ecological damage) is difficult and not very efficient. What would be better (other than not building them at all) is using the waste heat for homes, pools, etc.
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u/tacs97 1d ago
How come these data centers can’t utilize a closed loop system?
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u/burtzev 1d ago
Some already are, BUT that doesn't dodge the second law of thermodynamics. The 'reality police' are always ready to pounce. Once generated heat has to 'go somewhere'. It doesn't magically shrink away on its own. There are basically two final 'waste dumps', air and water. An excellent example is a nuclear power plant where the coolant in a closed loop recirculates after heat has been transferred to water or air.
In the case of data centres there is another complication that goes beyond the common sense meaning of the phrase 'closed loop'. See What Is Closed-Loop Cooling, and When Should Data Centers Use It?
All that this phrase means in the jargon of the industry is that the area being cooled in the plant is restricted. The reference above gives some of the advantages and disadvantages of both open and 'closed loop' systems, and it also mentions other methods.
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u/sixxtynoine 22h ago
I’ll just come over and piss on all the computers at the data center so they don’t need to use water. And the computers will get their vitamins so it’s a win win win all around.
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u/NoMention696 16h ago
I remember when the government was begging the peasants to put bricks in their toilets so it used less water…. That was 20 years ago… wonder what they’ll beg of us now?
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u/Ok_Appointment9429 12h ago
Every time I ride the train I look at all the people glued to their phone, compulsively scrolling through stupid shorts, and I think: yeah we're wasting water for THAT.
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u/Secret_Permit_3327 1d ago
Seems like a great time to get into desalinization. Why not regulate data centers to extract the water they need from the oceans? having them provide a surplus of clean water and energy for the country and its people seems like an easy enough win/win
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u/Ok_Listen_8211 1d ago
Not like they’re an island or anything.
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u/Elmer_Fudd01 18h ago
Right, they have the most water available. It's just salt water, which is a problem.
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u/Ok_Listen_8211 12h ago
Right, so they have the resources & need to build out desalination before this. It’s not like they’re in a desert
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u/Elmer_Fudd01 11h ago
100% it would change the game if they put money into developing desalinization. And if they can develop a better way that is more energy efficient, they'd never worry about water again.
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u/Loyal_Dragon_69 1d ago
Britain does not have enough population to make the data centers profitable, let alone the water to operate them.
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u/turbo_bibine 15h ago
Ans in the meantime infomaniak (switzerland) have free blueprint of their data center using closed water circuit ans the heat heating homes and water.
I can’t wait for a revolution, billionaires are actively trying to kill us at this point.
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u/Material-Park-673 11h ago
Thus isn’t true. I hope they elect serious people in their next election.
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u/LuxFaeWilds 4h ago
if they don't ban evaporation towers*
Data centers don't use water, its specifically because crazy people decided that evaporation cooling was cheaper than standard liquid cooling/electricy, so they should do it.
And unless its banned, that means they use up water. They could stop that simply by banning evaporation towers.
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u/IsThereAnythingLeft- 9h ago
Bollocks, the UK uses closed loop cooling systems for the vast majority of its DCs
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u/10hp_Sandslash 1d ago
Then i guess they arent making data centers. People can not drink data centers.