Data Center Cooling: How Sites Use Less Water
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Introduction
How much water a data center uses is a design choice, and designers have more good options than most people realize.
JRH Engineering is a licensed civil, structural, and land development engineering firm serving Texas, North Carolina, and Florida.
JRH guiding principles are: Engineering Excellence. Delivered on Time. Built on Value.
Here is how data center cooling works, how each approach affects water, and how a well-planned site can keep water use low while still bringing real benefits to the community.
Why Cooling Matters
Servers turn almost all the electricity they use into heat, and that heat has to go somewhere. Cooling is the main on-site use of water at a data center, so the cooling design largely decides how much water a site needs.
Two Ways to Cool
1. Evaporative (water-cooled)
Cooling towers release heat by evaporating water.
The lost water must be replaced, so use can rise in hot weather.
They use less electricity.
2. Closed-loop and dry (air-cooled)
Coolant circulates in a sealed loop and releases heat to the air.
They use little water on site.
They use more electricity, which has its own water footprint at the power plant.
The Best of Both
Many sites mix the two. A closed loop with occasional evaporative help on the hottest days keeps annual water use low while managing peak power.
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's research notes that only occasional evaporative cooling results in minimal water consumption.
Newer liquid-cooled servers often use closed loops too, which moves heat away from dense computing equipment efficiently and keeps the water in a sealed system.
A Trade-Off, Handled by Design
The choice is a trade-off between water and power, and mechanical engineers and the local utility make it. The right answer depends on the site:
Where water is scarce, a closed-loop or dry design can keep on-site water use low.
Where treated wastewater is available, evaporative cooling can run on reclaimed water instead of drinking water.
Where power is the tighter limit, evaporative or hybrid cooling can lower electricity demand.
Water-Smart Features to Look For
A closed-loop or hybrid cooling design
Reclaimed water used for cooling where it is available
Published water usage effectiveness (WUE): liters of water per kilowatt-hour of computing energy
On-site water storage to cover the busiest days
A drought plan agreed with the local utility
Water and sewer capacity sized so it does not strain the local system
What Communities Can Gain
Tax base. Property tax revenue that supports schools, counties, and cities.
Infrastructure. Water, sewer, and road upgrades built for the project can sometimes serve neighbors too.
Reclaimed water demand. Sites that use treated wastewater create steady demand that can help support water reuse systems.
Jobs. Many construction jobs, plus a smaller number of permanent technical roles.
Local business. Contractors, suppliers, hotels, and housing see added demand during construction.
Project: A Workforce Camp for a Data Center Build
JRH Engineering provided civil design for a 32-acre workforce camp, built to house the construction workforce for a data center project.
It includes housing for 420 people with a shared kitchen, rec room, and laundry, plus a 150-space RV park.
Challenges
Data center construction depends on the workforce having somewhere to live, so the camp sat on the critical path.
Housing, roads, and utilities for a dense temporary community had to share one site.
Objectives
One coordinated site plan, with utilities for every part of the camp
Site work that could start before the full design was finished
Solutions
Phased design. The contractor started earthwork while we continued designing the utilities.
Constant coordination. One to three meetings a day with the contractor and the mechanical team.
Where JRH Engineering Fits
Cooling design decides how much water a site needs. Civil engineering decides how that water gets there.
JRH Engineering did not design the data center building or its cooling. On this project, our role was the site. A civil engineer can help with:
Water supply feasibility: capacity, distance to the nearest line, and fire flow, checked before land is purchased
Water and sewer line design and extensions
Grading and detention for the large roofs and paved areas these sites have
Access roads and stormwater pollution prevention plans
Support through agency and utility review
We do not obtain permits. We prepare permit-ready plans.
Texas, North Carolina, and Florida
Texas: water comes from city utilities or groundwater districts, and the Texas Water Development Board leads statewide planning.
North Carolina: large withdrawals generally need state registration or approval. Confirm with the state environmental agency.
Florida: water management districts typically permit large withdrawals, and coastal sites add flood zone rules.
To see how cooling design changes water use, visit the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory data center water model and its 2024 report.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two main ways to cool a data center?
Evaporative (water-cooled) systems and closed-loop or dry (air-cooled) systems. Many sites combine them.
Which cooling method uses less water?
Closed-loop and dry systems use little water on site. Evaporative systems use more water but less electricity.
Do closed-loop systems use no water?
Not none. They use little makeup water, and they draw more power, which has its own water footprint.
What is hybrid cooling?
A closed loop with occasional evaporative help on the hottest days, which keeps annual water use low while managing peak power.
Can a data center use reclaimed water?
Yes. Some sites use treated wastewater for cooling instead of drinking water, where it is available.
How can communities benefit from a data center?
Through property tax revenue, infrastructure upgrades that can serve neighbors, reclaimed water demand, construction and technical jobs, and local business activity. Benefits vary by project.
Does JRH Engineering design data center cooling systems?
No. Mechanical engineers design cooling. JRH Engineering designs the site: grading, drainage, utilities, and access.
Why check utility capacity before buying land for a data center?
Lines may have capacity but still be far from the site. Extension distance and cost should be checked before purchase.
Want More Information on this Topic?
If a site in Texas, North Carolina, or Florida needs civil engineering for a data center or its workforce housing, JRH Engineering's team is available to help.
Call JRH Engineering: (800) 227-9635
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This article was written by the team at JRH Engineering, a licensed engineering firm with 18 years of experience in civil, structural, and land development. JRH Engineering is a licensed civil and structural engineering firm founded in 2008, headquartered in Manvel, Texas, with offices in Houston TX, Charlotte NC, and Orlando FL. Certified WBE, WOSB, and HUB-eligible. Phone: (800) 227-9635 | sales@jrhengineering.net | jrhengineering.net. Texas Firm Registration No. F-10385 | North Carolina Firm License No. P-3118 | Florida Engineering Business Registry No. 38516.
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