Let’s go to the Dalles in lovely Oregon. There is a Google data center there that draws water from the public supplies. It draws so much in a day, that at times the need for water in the whole community outstrips the ability of infrastructure to supply water. So people in the area see their water slow or cease altogether. The water is drawn so fast and in such amounts, wells dry up as the water table drops.
Water does eventually evaporate or get discharged from said data center, but its not like adding it in is an instantaneous event. It also doesn’t reenter the same system. Like picking up flour and trying to drop it back in the bag. Some ends up on your counter.
The data center in the Dalles is one hell of a story, too, for reason beyond that.
Fifrok@discuss.tchncs.de 6 days ago
Yes, the hydrological cycle is global, of course none of the water just disappears. What you’re missing is that the usage is local, data servers use mains water most of the time.
Mains water must come from somewhere, the local area has limited processing capabilities, and heavy industrial consumption severely depletes local groundwater reserves faster than natural rainfall can ever replenish them, forcing nearby communities to bear both the ecological and financial costs of a utility network that was almost never designed to handle such strain.
dan@upvote.au 6 days ago
Makes sense - thanks.
its_me_xiphos@beehaw.org 5 days ago
Of course! Thanks for asking for clarification.
gandalf_der_12te@feddit.org 5 days ago
i mean, a regulation could be made up that requires data center operators to bring their own supplies, i.e. make up additional plumbing for the village.