Data Centers: Separating Fact from Misinformation

This chart is exactly what the data center industry needs. And more charts, short form videos, stories, and interviews like it. It's time to stop explaining data centers to policymakers and start explaining them to parents, homeowners, teachers, small business owners, and voters. P.S. That audience is not on LinkedIn but that doesn't mean you have to start dancing on TikTok. There is a way to be professional but still relatable.

This is great information that needs to be distributed to educate communities that are potential homes to data center development.

Relative to other water users, even the average household, data centers with closed loop cooling systems just don’t use much water. That is a fact.

Wait, you mean data centers are not actually going to kill us all from dehydration?! I think there are many misinformed people.

I’d like to add the importance of weighing not only the water usage comparisons, but also the societal value these facilities provide. Data centers power the digital infrastructure behind AI, healthcare, communication, research, finance, and much of modern civilization, while using less water than many industries people rarely question.

Great depiction here of the misinformation in the market surrounding water consumption within data centers. This is not a new invention, thought, or statistic....this has been the case for years. I see many communities pushing back on data center developments for this exact reason and I believe it is important that we set the record straight. Data centers will bring more positives than negatives to your communities! #SeeABrighterWay #JLL #DataCenter #Education

Data center design is nuanced, and that fact is often lost in conversations about water consumption. Not all data centers use water the same way. Cooling architecture matters. Open-loop (evaporative): Uses water for heat rejection and has the highest consumptive water use due to evaporation. Closed-loop: Recirculates fluid in sealed systems with minimal losses typically limited to maintenance and minor bleed off. Air-cooled: Primarily uses air for heat rejection and can operate with little to no water, though some designs still use water for humidification or efficiency during peak conditions. Hybrid: Combines approaches. For example, primarily closed-loop with evaporative assist during high temperatures. The industry is actively evolving toward lower water consumption designs, especially in water stressed areas. So when discussing #datacenters and water use, the key question isn’t just “how many data centers?” it’s “how are they cooled?”

Not all data centers are created equal. Today’s next‑generation facilities are rapidly shifting to liquid cooling and closed‑loop systems—dramatically reducing water consumption while supporting higher‑density compute and improved overall efficiency.

Growing up in Arizona, water scarcity isn’t an abstract concept — it’s a fact of life. So when I see companies in our industry taking it seriously, it genuinely stands out. QTS Data Centers has built water conservation into the foundation of how they build. Their closed-loop cooling system uses no water for cooling once operational, delivering a Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) of 0 — the best possible score by the industry’s own standard. Across their portfolio, that adds up to billions of gallons of water saved annually. At a time when data centers are scaling faster than ever and communities are scrutinizing their impact on local resources, this is the kind of intentional design that matters. It proves the industry doesn’t have to choose between growth and responsibility. Proud to be in a sector where companies like QTS are raising the bar. #DataCenters #Sustainability #WaterConservation #Infrastructure #QTS

I’ve been reading QTS Data Centers latest ESG report, which is excellent! This infographic in particular stood out: their annual water consumption—and how it compares with other industries. Two takeaways for me: 1) To the data center industry: we need more consistent, comparable transparency on stewardship—water, energy, and broader environmental responsibility. If we want credibility in this conversation, we have to show our work, share what’s working (and what isn’t), and raise the bar together. 2) To the public (and all stakeholders): please keep asking the hard questions—and stay open to what the data actually says. There are real impacts to address, but there are also myths and assumptions that don’t hold up when you look at facts. If we want a responsible, data-driven future, we need healthy dialogue grounded in measurable outcomes—not headlines. For my industry colleagues: What innovations are you seeing to improve our global footprint? What are the positive impacts you're seeing through your actions? For the public in general: What metrics do you think the industry should report consistently to build trust and accountability? What other questions would you like answered? #datacenters #ESG #sustainability #stewardship #connecttowhatspossible Belden Inc.