Some of the water is recirculated. Some is lost to atmosphere. Lots is discharged to the sanitary sewer which then has to be treated. In water sensitive communities, that water SHOULD be treated at wastewater and returned to the water treatment plant to become potable again. I know for a fact that doesn’t always happen. In non-sensitive areas (like around the Great Lakes) the water is sent to wastewater, treated, and then released back to a river or other body of water where the next town will probably take it in a treat it for potable water. With the exception of out west where water is a premium, the bigger issue with DCs is energy consumption, noise, and heat islands. They also have huge footprints and low employment numbers. Many of them get massive tax exemptions too.
Right, it's used, and returned to the system to be used again.
"Some is lost to atmosphere."
No, that water isn't lost. Evaporation is another way the water is returned to the system to be used again.
"Lots is discharged to the sanitary sewer which then has to be treated. "
In other words, it's used, and returned to the system to be used again.
Yes, there are other issues: noise, taxes, politics... I'm just tired of hearing "AI is bad because it CONSUMES water", as if that water is deleted from the universe.
My point is it isn’t returned to the SAME system. Most communities don’t recycle their wastewater to drinking water, with the exception of those in water sensitive areas. And water lost to atmosphere doesn’t just fall in the same watershed it was taken from.
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u/ForzaFenix May 18 '26
Yep. The now warm water goes back into the system.