There are already closed loop systems that lose zero water. Also there are systems that use oil rather than water to cool as well as systems that pipe coolant directly onto or into the semiconductor to cool it. And finally, there are systems where the entire server is immersed in coolant other than water. The heat is removed from the coolant in a dry cooler and lost to the atmosphere. I am pretty sure someone will find a way to use that waste heat for something else.

The water could be used for fish farming fish that need warmer water, such as tilapia and shrimp and crabs.

Keith

Electricity costs are going up at 6% nationwide as the data centers go on line and consume a lot of electric energy.
The one at Mount Pleasent WI is now hiring 375 permenent employees with plans to grow to 800. Their original statements a couple years ago was 2400 permenent jobs How sustainable is all of this. Is there a data center bubble? or are we in one now? Lot of investment to date with not a lot of revenue generation. Some economists are saying that our GDP right now is mainly supported by the data center industry and growth. We probably won't see much of a slow down until we have a correction. How severe that correction maybe is what I for one don't know.

Bryce

i think the water usage is a nothing burger. Look at the amount used to irrigate one 200 acre farm or a coal fired or nuclear powerplant. Of course it will take one of these to power up the data center.