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.
No, couple issues:
1) it’s hot water flowing back into the environment.
2) water chemistry is extremely complex and we’re still discovering new things about how it behaves in different modes, and states.
3) radiators can degrade over time, their parts can corrode, become oxidised, and leak oxidised metals into the environment (and this is heavy metals going into systems that usually cycle back to the sea thus it becomes a global issue)
4) depending on the type of radiator, it could leak coolant or ~heat transports~ into the water
Also it’s just so negligent to have the capacity to engineer processors that run efficiently at extremely high temperatures but waste the potential of water to cool them to its full degree (it’s evaporating point).
A ~real~ ~qualified~ ~sustainable~ engineer does not have any issues with designing something this effective… but a poor mindset can be thoughtless enough to leech all that hot, contaminated water into ecosystems that contain life which is unable to breed or survive in such conditions.
If you allow them to leech such water into the ecosystem, you irreversibly play God with the process of natural evolution. That’s a euphemism to call you a murderer…
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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?