Google Releases Guidelines for Data Center Water Usage Standards

On June 3, 2026, Google announced a set of guidelines aimed at establishing industry standards for water consumption in data centers. This move comes amid growing concerns from communities in the U.S. regarding the water use of new data centers, alongside issues such as rising energy costs, local air pollution, and noise. Google's framework includes commitments to return more water to local watersheds than consumed by 2030, avoid water-intensive cooling in stressed regions, fund local water infrastructure upgrades, explore reclaimed wastewater, and disclose annual water usage. In 2024, Google reported consuming 7.2 billion gallons of freshwater and replenishing approximately 4.5 billion gallons, or about 64%. Bikash Koley, Google's vice president of global infrastructure, acknowledged the legitimacy of community concerns while emphasizing the need for better information to build trust. Google joins other tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta in promoting better water management practices. The company highlighted that two-thirds of its data centers currently use evaporative cooling, which can be more energy-efficient in areas with sufficient water supply. Google officials noted that local conditions will influence future water usage and cooling methods, with updated figures expected in the coming weeks.