The rapid expansion of AI data centers is sparking protests due to water and energy consumption, particularly in drought-prone regions of the United States. While data center water use currently represents a small fraction of national consumption, experts warn that increased AI capacity could exacerbate local water stress. However, advancements in AI efficiency and the adoption of renewable energy sources, alongside water-saving cooling technologies, offer potential solutions.
Protests with signs declaring “Protect our water,” “Water for people not AI,” and “Don’t mess with our water” are occurring in states like Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, fueled by concerns over the environmental impact of data centers. These facilities often utilize water to absorb heat, similar to the human body’s cooling mechanism, as processors can reach temperatures as high as 176 degrees Fahrenheit. In 2023, data center cooling systems consumed an estimated 66 billion liters of water, less than 1 percent of the nation’s total.
Despite overall low national impact, the projected growth of AI data centers raises concerns about localized water shortages, especially in arid areas. Energy systems expert Fengqi You of Cornell University notes that with efforts to replenish water resources, “there's a good chance that, eventually, it could be net-zero water for the on-site cooling.”
Recent technological advancements are already reducing water demand. Shaolei Ren, an electrical and computer engineer at the University of California, Riverside, stated that his 2024 estimate of 500 milliliters of water consumed per query using GPT-4 is now outdated due to increased AI efficiency. Google estimates that as of 2025, only five drops of water are used to process a median-length query.
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