Goodbye Great Lakes? Lowering water levels linked to rise of AI data centers
In recent years, the water levels of the Great Lakes, a series of freshwater lakes in the U.S. and Canada, have undergone notable drop.
Data centers used to power artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are being linked to falling water levels in the Great Lakes of North America.
“Dramatic shift”
A group of freshwater lakes that span several eastern and north-eastern U.S. states, as well as parts of Canada, the Great Lakes have undergone a “dramatic shift” in their water levels over the past half decade, according to the U.S.’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
In a report in the Guardian this week, the journalist Stephen Starr cited decreases of two to four feet since 2019.
Starr acknowledges experts’ view that recent drops can also be put down to “natural” processes, given the lakes reached record-high levels around the turn of the 2020s.
However, he adds: “It’s happening at a time when a huge new consumer of water has appeared on the horizon: data centers."
“Among the most data-center dense”
Kirsten James, a water expert at the sustainability advocacy organization Ceres, told Starr: “The Great Lakes region, especially in states such as Illinois and Ohio, [is] among the most data-center dense states in the region.
“In addition to the high volumes of water used on site for cooling, our recent research found that even more water may be consumed to generate electricity to power data centers’ energy needs.
“These impacts can conflict with communities’ water-resource planning efforts.”
How much water do data centers consume?
As data centers become more and more AI-focused, says the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, their water consumption “is increasing”.
According to EESI, a think tank created by a bipartisan group of members of Congress, a mid-sized data center can consume up to about 100 million gallons of water per year. That’s “equivalent to the annual water usage of approximately 1,000 households”, EESI says.
A larger data center, meanwhile, may need as much as five million gallons a day, equalling the water consumption of “a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people”.
Related stories
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment