AI demand means data centres are worsening drought in Mexico

Positioned in the midst of Mexico, Querétaro is an enthralling and vibrant colonial-style metropolis recognized for its dazzling stone aqueduct.

However the metropolis, and state of the identical title, can be recognised for a really totally different purpose – as Mexico’s information centre capital.

Throughout the state firms together with Microsoft, Amazon Internet Companies and ODATA personal these warehouse-like buildings, stuffed with laptop servers.

Nobody may provide a precise quantity, however there are scores of them, with extra being constructed.

Ascenty, which claims to be the biggest information centre firm in Latin America, has two in Querétaro, each round 20,000 sq ft in measurement, with a 3rd underneath building.

It’s forecast that greater than $10bn (£7.4bn) in information centre-related funding will pour into the state within the subsequent decade.

“The demand for AI is accelerating the development of knowledge centres at an unprecedented velocity,” says Shaolei Ren, affiliate professor {of electrical} and laptop engineering on the College of California Riverside.

So, what is the attraction of Querétaro?

“It is a very strategic area,” explains Arturo Bravo, Mexico nation supervisor at Ascenty.

“Querétaro is correct within the center [of the country], connecting east, west, north and south,” he says.

Which means it’s comparatively near Mexico Metropolis. It’s also related to high-speed information cables, so giant quantities of knowledge may be shifted shortly.

Mr Bravo additionally factors out that there’s assist from the municipality and central authorities.

“It has been recognized as a expertise hub,” he says. “Each present a number of good alternate options by way of permits, regulation and zoning.”

However why are many US firms selecting this state over someplace nearer to house?

“The facility grid capability constraint within the US is pushing tech firms to seek out out there energy wherever they’ll,” says Shaolei Ren, affiliate professor {of electrical} and laptop engineering on the College of California Riverside, including that the price of land and power, and business-friendly insurance policies are additionally enticing.

Knowledge centres host 1000’s of servers – a specialised kind of laptop for processing and sending information.

Anybody that is labored with a pc on their lap will know that they get uncomfortably sizzling. So to cease information centres melting down, elaborate cooling techniques are wanted which might use enormous quantities of water.

Nevertheless, not all information centres devour water on the similar price.

Some use water evaporation to dissipate the warmth, which works effectively however is thirsty.

A small information centre utilizing this kind of cooling can use around 25.5 million litres of water per yr.

Different information centres, like these owned by Ascenty, use a closed-loop system, which circulates water via chillers.

In the meantime, Microsoft advised the BBC it operates three information centres in Querétaro. They use direct outside air for cooling roughly 95% of the yr, requiring zero water.

It mentioned for the remaining 5% of the yr, when ambient temperatures exceed 29.4°C, they use evaporative cooling.

For the fiscal yr 2025, its Querétaro websites used 40 million litres of water, it added.

That is nonetheless a number of water. And for those who have a look at general consumption on the greatest information centre house owners then the numbers are enormous.

For instance, in its 2025 sustainability report Google said that its complete water consumption elevated by 28% to eight.1bn gallons between 2023 to 2024.

The report additionally mentioned that 72% of the freshwater it used got here from sources at “low threat of water depletion or shortage”.

As well as, information centres additionally not directly devour water, as water is required to provide electrical energy.

The additional water consumption by information centres is a giant drawback for some in Querétaro which final yr endured the worst drought of a century, impacting crops and water provides to some communities.

At her house in Querétaro, activist Teresa Roldán tells me residents have requested the authorities for extra info and transparency in regards to the information centres and the water they use however says this has not been forthcoming.

“Personal industries are being prioritised in these arid zones,” she says. “We hear that there is going to be 32 information centres however water is what’s wanted for the folks, not for these industries. They [the municipality] are prioritising giving the water they should the personal trade. Residents should not receiving the identical high quality of the water than the water that the trade is receiving.”

Talking to the BBC in Querétaro, Claudia Romero Herrara, founding father of water activist organisation Bajo Tierra Museo del Agua,  would not remark immediately on the info centres as a consequence of a lack of awareness however says she’s involved in regards to the state’s water points.

“It is a state that’s already dealing with a disaster that’s so advanced and would not have sufficient water for human disposal. The precedence needs to be water for fundamental means…that is what we have to assure after which perhaps suppose if there are some assets out there for some other financial exercise. There was a battle of curiosity on public water coverage for the final 20 years.”

A spokesperson for the federal government of the state of Querétaro defended their choice saying: “We’ve at all times mentioned and reiterated that the water is for citizen consumption, not for the trade. The municipality has zero schools to water allocation and even much less to assign water high quality. Nor the state, nor the municipality can water allocate to any trade or the first sector, that is a job for the Nationwide Water Fee.”

One other concern for these dwelling close to information centres is air air pollution.

Prof Ren says information centres sometimes depend on diesel backup mills that launch giant quantities of dangerous pollution.

“The hazard of diesel pollution from information centres has been effectively recognised,” he says, pointing to a health assessment of the air high quality surrounding native information centres by the Division of Ecology on the state of Washington.

Mr Bravo responded to these issues by saying: “We function underneath the phrases and circumstances specified by authorities, which, in flip, in my perspective, are those caring for the truth that these circumstances are acceptable for the communities round and the well being of everyone.”

As for the long run, Ascenty is planning extra information centres within the area.

“I do see it simply sort of progressing and progressing, with a brand new information centre there each few years,” says Mr Bravo.

“The trade will proceed to develop as AI grows. It is an ideal future by way of what’s coming.”