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AI data centers could triple water use by 2030 without mitigation

Rystad Energy estimates data centers consumed 222 billion liters of water directly for cooling in 2025, with potential outcomes ranging from 388 billion to just under 644 billion liters by 2030 depending on water-saving measures.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Energy Transition

The rapid expansion of data center capacity, fueled largely by the growing use of artificial intelligence in everyday life, is raising questions about how much water these facilities will require for cooling. OilPrice, citing Rystad Energy, estimates that without water-saving steps, global water consumption by data centers could reach 644 billion liters per year by 2030.

Rystad Energy’s projections depend on cooling technology, climate, and whether analysts measure water withdrawn or water actually consumed. Based on its estimates, data centers consumed 222 billion liters of water directly for cooling in 2025, and that could nearly triple to just under 644 billion liters by 2030 in a risked central case.

In more optimistic scenarios, more water-efficient pathways could reduce the 2030 figure to 543 billion liters in a moderate case, or as low as 388 billion liters in an aggressive water-saving scenario, OilPrice reports. The analysis also notes that direct cooling-water use is only part of the picture.

OilPrice adds that the total water footprint is harder to forecast because it can include less visible water embedded in the electricity supply. It also emphasizes that data centers primarily use water to remove heat generated by computing equipment, and consumption can vary widely by location and cooling approach.

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