Most data centers still won't say how much water or power they burn through.
A new report finds that most data centers decline to share basic figures on how much water and electricity they use. The pattern holds even as facilities multiply to keep pace with surging computing demand. Public information on consumption remains the exception rather than the rule, leaving outside observers largely in the dark.
That matters because data centers are growing fast, driven largely by the AI boom, and they draw heavily on local water and power grids. Without routine disclosure, regulators, utility planners, and nearby residents have little basis for assessing strain on shared infrastructure. Voluntary transparency only works if operators choose to provide it. Apparently, most don't.
Expect pressure for mandatory reporting to grow long before most operators volunteer the numbers on their own.