The data centre and water question
AS plans for large data centres take shape in Pakistan, the debate has centred on jobs and investment, while a more basic concern has received little attention: water. Why would a data centre compete for water? Computing generates heat, and evaporating water is one of the most cost-effective ways to remove it. By 2030, the United Nations University projects that data centres globally will use nearly triple the combined electricity usage of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, with an associated water footprint equal to the basic domestic needs of 1.3 billion people. In Pakistan, the per capita wa