Data Centres Are Causing Droughts

[CoolCat]

"Delete old emails and pictures as data centres require vast amounts of water to cool their systems."

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/n...ater-shortfall

you simply could not make this BS up

[xoggoth]

Is it BS???

Oh damn, storing this comment in CUK's database just made the drought worse.

[WTFH]

Under Reform, data storage will be free, and not require any energy (apart from he oil bought in from Russia)

[woody1]

They may be holding and circulating quite a large volume of water but surely they shouldn't be consuming that much?

Unless, of course, their cooling system pipes are as leaky as the water companies.

[woody1]

We're on a borehole and we always worry a bit when there is a prolonged period of very low rainfall.

The main way we consume less water is only flushing for number twos. Bit disgusting but better than risking the borehole running dry.

On the plus side, not being on mains water and sewage saves a fortune. It's an old septic pit, rather than a sealed plastic tank, so never needs emptying. Our only outgoings are a bit of electricity to run the borehole pump and occasional maintenance.

[Paddy]

The UK has a massive rainfall compared with most other countries, reservoirs have been sold off for house building; the government and private companies want to blame the public in one way or another.

[Protagoras]

The UK has a massive rainfall compared with most other countries, reservoirs have been sold off for house building; the government and private companies want to blame the public in one way or another.

There seems to be an assumption that population growth does not require additional resources, hence infrastructure and public services have not been upgraded to meet current demand.

We're paying a heavy price for the privatisation and subsequent non-regulation of water and energy sectors.

[Smartie]

Bottled water causes droughts, draining aquifers in e.g. Southern France. Plus a huge amount of plastic pollution.

Then there's Californian almonds - 12 litres per kernel apparently.

[willendure]

I find it hard to believe data centres are causing droughts. Yes, they need a lot of water for cooling. But once things are cool the water is still water and still in some kind of container, or is it all evaporated off into the atmosphere? And even if it was, that would be great for transporting the water over the land and bringing rain. That is what trees do, abosorb rain, then release it back into the air and make rain. If there were no forests the furthest in land it would ever rain would be 50 miles. So, yeah...

[Snooky]

The main way we consume less water is only flushing for number twos. Bit disgusting but better than risking the borehole running dry.

Nothing worse than a dry borehole when you need a number two.