
'The government has all but forgotten that most data centres require water to cool their systems': Industry trade board warns UK government over data center thirst for resources
THE SO WHAT
Tripling UK data center capacity by 2030 without a water plan turns cooling into a permitting and political risk, not just an engineering one. If you’re siting AI infra in water-stressed regions, assume future constraints and price in alternative cooling, reclamation, or relocation now rather than after moratoria hit.
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