Microsoft says its newest AI data centers require no water for cooling during normal operations, as the tech sector faces growing scrutiny over the environmental impact of artificial intelligence infrastructure.
How Microsoft is reducing data center water consumption
As artificial intelligence drives the construction of increasingly large computing facilities, data center water consumption continues to rise alongside electricity demand and carbon emissions.
Data center developers are drawing more heavily on freshwater resources to meet cooling requirements, increasing pressure on surrounding communities. Large data centers can consume as much water as a city with between 10,000 and 50,000 residents.
Following recent announcements from Google, Amazon, and Nvidia, Microsoft has released an update highlighting how companies involved in the AI boom are responding to growing concerns over the environmental impact of expanding digital infrastructure. These concerns are becoming increasingly relevant worldwide, including in regions such as Africa where water availability is already under pressure.
Microsoft’s latest AI data centers eliminate water use for cooling
Microsoft said its newest AI data center designs require no water for cooling during normal operations. According to the company, this achievement is part of a broader effort that has improved water efficiency by nearly 90% compared with the early 2000s.
Across its owned data center fleet, Microsoft said it is committed to improving data center water consumption intensity by 40% by 2030. By 2025, the company reported a 25% reduction in water use intensity.
The company also stated that fiscal year 2025 marked a significant milestone toward its 2030 water positive commitment, which aims to replenish more water annually than it withdraws.
Public opposition to expanding data centers
Microsoft is advancing cooling technologies and improving water resource management as public opposition to new data centers continues to grow.
According to a Gallup survey published in May, nearly 70% of Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their communities, with concerns about water use and energy consumption cited as the two main reasons.
Global electricity consumption by data centers, estimated at 448 TWh in 2025, could reach 945 TWh by 2030. Their associated water footprint is estimated at 9.3 trillion liters.
Many existing facilities still rely on water cooling
Most of Microsoft’s existing data center fleet still uses some water for cooling. The company said many facilities rely on systems that use outside air and require water only periodically.
In Phoenix, for example, some Microsoft data centers use evaporative cooling systems that depend on water only when temperatures exceed approximately 30°C, Steve Solomon, Microsoft’s Vice President of Data Center Engineering, told Axios.
