Water UK Warns AI Growth Threatens British Water Supply

The trade body Water UK has warned that the United Kingdom lacks the water resources necessary to support government plans for AI growth and datacentre expansion. In a briefing to MPs, the organization described government water forecasts as fatally flawed because they exclude datacentre demands from AI growth strategies and the Environment Agency's national framework.

Over 75% of datacentres are located in water-stressed regions of southern and eastern England, where many residents currently face hosepipe bans. While datacentres in England currently use 6.6 million litres of drinking water daily, that figure could climb to 19.8 million litres if capacity triples by 2030. In Slough, some datacentres request up to 3 million litres per day.

The Government of the United Kingdom has designated datacentres as critical national infrastructure and plans to build nine new reservoirs. However, Water UK argues that without a clear drought hierarchy, commercial AI use could be prioritized over households. The government maintains that sustainable development will protect water supplies while unlocking growth by seeking alternatives to minimize wastewater and supply impacts.