Thread

1. f-serif · 1790774766 · focus · HN ↗

   I live in a country with unlimited water supply.

   Can someone explain the data center water usage? Data center don't drink water. It cools down the machine.

   What's preventing them getting cool water from a lake and draining to it again to cool down? Where is water going after usage since there is literally zero water consumption?

   1. jasonjayr · 1790775420 · focus · HN ↗

      Evaporation losses will move the water to a different locality. DC's not only cool servers, but control humidity by adding or removing water to the air.

      Warm water fed back into the ecosystem will (relatively) quickly cause unwanted changes to the lake's biosphere.

      Unless it's properly filtered, returned water will be contaminated by material in the cooling system.

      It puts local demand on the water system competing with human need.

      1. derangedHorse · 1790795529 · focus · HN ↗

         > Unless it's properly filtered, returned water will be contaminated by material in the cooling system.

         Any wastewater is regulated and typically doesn't need to be "filtered." For regular operations, water is treated but the evaporative process leaves most treatment chemicals behind.

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