Government Assures Water Efficiency in Data Centres Amid Sustainability Push

The Indian government has addressed concerns about water usage in data centres, asserting no issues have arisen. Minister Raj Bhushan Choudhary highlighted technological advancements improving cooling and efficiency. Regulations and technological strategies have been deployed to minimize water consumption in data centres, boosting capacity and supporting digital infrastructure.

The Indian government has clarified concerns surrounding water usage in data centres, confirming that no complaints have been filed thus far. On Monday, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary, addressed the Rajya Sabha, noting that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has not identified any problems related to excessive water consumption in these facilities.

Choudhary emphasized that the data centre industry is proactively adopting innovative approaches to improve cooling systems and reduce water and energy consumption. These include advanced cooling technologies such as direct-to-chip liquid cooling, adiabatic cooling, and immersion cooling, alongside the use of high-density racks to support high-performance computing and artificial intelligence workloads efficiently.

In response to potential groundwater extraction concerns, guidelines by the Jal Shakti ministry have been issued to regulate its usage. These initiatives, coupled with advancements in technology, are playing a critical role in improving water-use efficiency and lessening the water demands of data centre operations. Furthermore, the government is facilitating the establishment of data centres to boost digital infrastructure, as data centre capacity is projected to expand significantly by 2025.

(With inputs from agencies.)