Not enough water for UK’s datacentre plans, trade body says

The UK’s plans to expand artificial intelligence and datacentre capacity are facing fresh criticism from the water industry, which says there may not be enough water to support the cooling demands of new facilities.

According to a report monitored from a public feed, the trade body for the water sector warned that the government has not adequately addressed how datacentres will be cooled as the country pushes ahead with AI growth plans. The criticism was described in stark terms, with the industry arguing that the strategy is “fatally flawed” if water supply and demand are not properly considered.

Datacentres require substantial cooling because they house densely packed servers that generate large amounts of heat. The feed summary notes that water can be used directly in systems such as cooling towers, chillers and humidification equipment. It also points out that datacentres can place further indirect pressure on water resources through the electricity they consume, since power generation itself often relies on water.

The warning adds a new environmental and infrastructure challenge to the UK’s digital expansion plans. As demand for AI services rises, so too does the need for larger, more powerful datacentres. The water industry’s intervention suggests that, without a clearer plan for meeting cooling needs, proposed growth in this sector may be difficult to sustain.

The report, based on a monitored public feed, does not provide further details on specific projects, government responses or proposed water-saving measures. It does, however, underline a growing concern that the UK’s AI ambitions could collide with the practical limits of water availability.

Source: The Guardian Technology - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/21/not-enough-water-for-uks-datacentre-plans-trade-body-says