AWE Releases Data Center Primer for Water Service Providers

The Alliance for Water Efficiency, in partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District, has released A Data Center Primer for Water Service Providers to help water utilities and other water practitioners engage more effectively in the planning and design of data center projects in their communities. The Primer provides both technical background and practical guidance to support early, informed involvement by local water providers.

The resource was developed in response to growing concerns about data center water use, missed opportunities to improve water efficiency and water reuse, and cases in which water service providers have been excluded from key planning and design discussions. Because even highly efficient data centers can place significant demands on local water supplies, thoughtful planning and design are essential. Ensuring that water providers are involved early in the process can help communities better manage water impacts while identifying opportunities for efficiency, reuse, and long-term sustainability.

The Primer provides information on.

• Data center types and functions
• Data center cooling technologies
• How much water is used in data centers
• How to ensure water is appropriately considered in data center development.

The Primer also includes a Data Center Coordination Workbook, which includes fillable PDF forms, to walk water providers through the recommended coordination process.

AWE Members: Click here to download a copy

Non-AWE Members can request a copy: Click here to request a copy

View a video presentation about the Data Center Primer from AWE’s Senior Program Manager, Johanna DeCotis Smith.

Suggested Citation:

Alliance for Water Efficiency. A Data Center Primer for Water Service Providers. Chicago, IL: Alliance for Water Efficiency, 2026.

Date of Publication: June 2026