Q&A – Data Centers. You have questions. We have answers

UGA Extension Service

The extensive demand for cloud storage, streaming services, and artificial intelligence (AI) in today’s digital economy has sparked a massive boom in data center construction. Although concerns and public discussion about this boom primarily focus on the substantial electricity demands of these data centers, they also have a significant local impact on our water resources.

These data centers need continuous cooling to prevent their structural components from overheating, which uses an enormous amount of water. In some systems, most of this cooling water evaporates into the atmosphere, while others reuse a large portion of this water, cycling it repeatedly through the cooling systems and eventually discharging it back into the environment.

What Is a Data Center?

A data center is a large facility that stores, processes, and distributes digital information using large numbers of computer servers. Modern data centers support cloud computing, streaming, artificial intelligence (AI), social media, banking, healthcare, internet services, and many other online services.

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