AI guzzling water we can't afford to spare

Newsroom
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Today, there are three stories about water shortages on the Daily Maverick homepage: Joburg’s water crisis, Tinder-dry Greyton burns and Middelburg residents blockade national roads over long-running water crisis.

And then the story of the day in First Thing this morning paints a concerning picture about how the growth spurt of AI data centres could threaten SA’s electricity and water supply.

I enjoy the way AI makes my life easier, but just a look at the news today made me pause. We can’t afford to lose more water. When it comes to AI, I have to wonder, is the juice worth the squeeze?

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There is all the technology we need understood and tested for treating and recycling water. All we need is the will and legislation to make it mandatory for major water-users to build this into their planning and implemention. Every centre must have at least close to zero public water input. This can include rainwater harvesting but not access to aquifer water. Aquifer water must be considered public water.

As an aside, unless the facility uses wind and/or solar as electricity sources, they are also part of a system that uses water in electricity generation.

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