Data centers supporting AI in Scotland have quadrupled their tap-water consumption since 2021, now using enough to fill more than 27 million half-liter bottles annually, according to figures obtained by the BBC. Scottish Water called the increase “significant” but said it remains just 0.005% of total supply, urging operators to shift from open-loop systems to closed-loop or to use treated wastewater. University of Glasgow researchers estimate the current footprint equals each Scot drinking an extra 2.48 liters of water a year and driving up to 90 additional miles in carbon terms. With 16 facilities operating and more planned—including a large AI industrial park near Irvine—officials and academics are pressing for greater transparency, carbon targets, and sustainable cooling, while the UK government backs data centers as critical infrastructure. OpenAI says it is pursuing “water-positive” efforts, including a Norway site running on renewables and closed-loop cooling.
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