US data centre water expenditure to exceed $4 billion by 2030

Amber Walsh, Senior Analyst at Bluefield Research, discusses the findings of the company’s new report, U.S. Water for Data Centers: Market Trends, Opportunities, and Forecasts, 2025–2030, which reveals that the role of water in the data centre market is fast becoming a critical factor in site selection, design, and operations. By 2030, annual water-related capital and operational expenditures are forecast to reach US$797.1 million, representing a 31.4% increase from today, while hyperscale data centres, which currently represent 51.4% of total market demand, are forecasted to withdraw 150.4 billion gallons of water between 2025 and 2030.