AI push and data center expansion spark water crisis concerns
New Delhi | Desk: India is currently on its way to becoming a global superpower in the field of artificial intelligence and data centers, but this technological revolution is also posing a serious environmental crisis. Despite the geographical distance between Newton County (USA) and Tusiana village in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, both locations face a similar problem: massive water consumption by data centers.
According to reports, while Facebook's data center has caused wells in the US to dry up, villagers in Tusiana now have to dig 80-foot-deep pits to access water, compared to just 20-30 feet two decades ago. This crisis is particularly concerning in India, where the Uttar Pradesh government has signed a ₹39,000 crore agreement with Yotta, aiming to build six massive data centers.
India's "data hunger" can be gauged from the fact that 132 data centers are currently operational in the country, and 84 new projects are proposed in 17 cities by 2029.
According to a report by Arizton Advisory, Maharashtra alone accounts for 45 percent of upcoming capacity, while cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai are emerging as major hubs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently described these centers as a major source of employment for youth at the AI Impact Summit, although some experts argue otherwise, arguing that these centers are highly automated and employ fewer people than traditional factories.
Meanwhile, the Adani Group has announced plans to develop the world's largest renewable energy-based AI-ready data center with an investment of $100 billion, reflecting India's growing commitment in this direction.
However, water has emerged as a major issue in this race for technological advancement. Experts like Professor Abhijit Mukherjee of IIT Kharagpur and Himanshu Thakkar of SANDRP have warned that a medium-sized data center consumes over 1.1 million liters of fresh water every day.
This situation could be even more dire for South Indian cities, where groundwater levels are already limited.
Magsaysay Award winner Rajendra Singh has warned that this increasing demand for water could make inter-state water disputes like the Cauvery dispute more violent.
While leaders like Mohandas Pai believe the problem is not water availability but its management and storage, Professor Arnab Bhattacharya of IIT Kanpur has suggested a 'dull pipeline' system for recycled water.
India must now decide how to satisfy this thirst for a digital future without sacrificing natural resources.
