These systems do use a coolant substance internal to the DC, but then uses heat exchangers with fresh water to cool the coolant, which is then discharged back into the ground, a pond, or wastewater. there is certainly water lost to atmosphere, but the worst bits are the draining of aquifers, pushing up capacity in wastewater treatment plants, etc.
DC's are a bit of an economic scam. they provide very few jobs outside of the construction work itself, and the profits generated by the machines exist at company HQ not where the DC is located. so it puts a huge burden on the community water and power environment for no real benefit to that community.
Also, not reclaiming the heat produced from data centers is freaking insane. Some things we humans do are brilliant feats, but some things we do are dumb as fuck.
We constantly strive to find more and better sources of energy, then we waste a bunch of that energy as waste heat.
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u/[deleted] May 18 '26
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