Can reducing the number of old emails and photographs improve the UK’s ability to manage its ongoing drought? This is the aspiration articulated by the National Drought Group in a recent press release.
While there are significant measures that businesses and government officials can implement to conserve water, the escalating severity of the drought has prompted authorities to encourage individuals to examine how their personal habits might contribute to or mitigate the issue. The rise of data centers has also sparked concerns regarding their substantial water consumption necessary for cooling systems and server operation, as highlighted in various reports.
Helen Wakeham, Director of Water at the Environment Agency, stated in the press release, “Basic, everyday actions—like turning off a tap or deleting old emails—significantly contribute to the collective effort to lower demand and maintain the vitality of our rivers and wildlife.”
“Basic, everyday actions—like turning off a tap or deleting old emails—significantly contribute to the collective effort”
The Environment Agency has not yet responded to an inquiry from Technology News regarding the estimated water savings from deleting files, nor the water consumption levels of data centers in drought-stricken regions of the UK.
It has been reported that a small data center might use over 25 million liters of water annually if it employs traditional cooling methods that involve evaporation. However, technology companies have been actively pursuing solutions to decrease their water usage through innovative cooling technologies. For example, Microsoft has experimented with submerging servers in fluorocarbon-based liquids at the bottom of the sea.
The demand for electricity generated by data centers also exacerbates water usage since fossil fuel and nuclear power plant operations require water for cooling and steam generation, an issue that could improve with a shift towards renewable energy sources.
August brought the UK its fourth heatwave of the summer, worsened by the driest six-month period preceding July since 1976. According to the release, five regions have declared an official drought, with six additional areas experiencing “prolonged dry weather.”
The National Drought Group has noted that requests for residents to conserve water have shown effectiveness, with a 20 percent reduction in water demand observed in the Severn Trent area since reaching its peak on July 11, attributed to public water-saving initiatives. Addressing leaks is also essential; repairing a leaking toilet can save between 200 and 400 liters of water daily, according to the organization.
