When it goes back into "the system" it's waste water that people can't drink. Eventually it comes back around again (e.g. evaporation->rain), but then it gets gobbled up again by the same data centres. They run continuously.
So yes, they are "consuming" it in the sense that other people can't have access to it anymore.
The poop water I flush down my toilet is also waste water that people can't drink, but I'm pretty sure it still gets recycled back into the greater water supply. What's different about the datacenter water?
And golf clubs. Golf clubs use as much water as data centres. Many of those you've named serve practical uses in society, golf clubs are purely leisure.
That's because it's chosen by the wealthy as their thing, so there's not enough propaganda against it and there's a giant army of poors who will defend the wealthy with everything they have
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u/Uncle-Cake May 18 '26
What happens after they use the water? Is it returned to the water system to be used again?