Experts highlight that a data centre’s water footprint is not fixed, with its location, cooling technology and energy source being critical factors in determining its overall impact.
PETALING JAYA: Not all data centres place the same strain on water resources, with planning decisions such as location, design and technology playing a critical role in determining their overall impact, experts say.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia property economics and finance associate professor Dr Muhammad Najib Razali said global studies show that while data centres are often seen as “clean” digital infrastructure, their water use can vary dramatically.
Water use can vary greatly, depending on the cooling design, workload intensity and geographic location, he said.
“This means two data centres performing similar functions may have different water impacts depending on how and where they are built.”
He added that most of the water is used to cool servers, which generate enormous heat as they run non-stop.
“Thermal management systems account for a large share of operational resource demand, meaning computing expansion directly increases energy and water requirements.”
In many facilities, particularly in warmer climates, cooling relies on evaporative systems, where water absorbs heat and then evaporates to release it.
“Hotter climates require more intensive cooling, which directly translates into higher water demand.”
He also highlighted that a data centre’s water footprint goes beyond the facility itself.
Electricity generation needed to power these centres consumes large amounts of water at power plants.
“This means the indirect water embedded in the energy supply could rival or even exceed onsite water use,” he said, adding that this often overlooked “energy–water nexus” is crucial when assessing sustainability.
The rise of AI and high-performance computing is widening the gap. More intensive workloads place greater strain on cooling systems and energy supply.
“Computing expansion, particularly driven by AI, is transforming data centres into facilities that require large and sustained water inputs.”
Najib stressed that early planning is key to reducing water impact.
“Planning decisions such as siting facilities in more suitable locations or adopting alternative cooling technologies could significantly reduce water demand.”
He said as Malaysia develops data centre clusters in Johor, Selangor and Cyberjaya, these considerations will only grow in importance.
“Early planning is far more effective than retrofitting solutions later.”
