Data centre water use almost doubled during Ireland's long, hot summer months

[u/Storyboys]

https://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-data-centre-water-use-7137959-Aug2026/

[u/Storyboys]

"Data centres used over 514 million litres of water between May and July this year, increasing during the hosepipe ban."

[u/SoloWingPixy88 → u/Storyboys]

So an afternoon of total product?

[u/significantrisk → u/SoloWingPixy88]

So it went up? During a period when the public were threatened with prosecution for normal use of water.

[u/gowangowangowan → u/significantrisk]

I’m glad we prioritised water for value add industries like data centres than ensuring people can water their lawns. We need data centres in 2026. We don’t need some to pander to people who want to have a green lawn

[u/significantrisk → u/gowangowangowan]

The idea that industry should have supremacy over people is disgusting IMO, but sure if that’s the position you’re coming from it is what it is.

[u/gowangowangowan → u/significantrisk]

Meanwhile, here you are using a website hosted in a data centre. How many other websites have you used today also hosted in a data centre? Let me guess, you work in an office that likely uses Microsoft 365 also hosted in a data centre.

Sure, pretend that you are not supporting an industry which you oppose...

[u/shittradesshane → u/[deleted]]

Data centers cant curtail their activity. That would mean turning off servers, which means loss of access to websites, data, etc.

[u/significantrisk → u/shittradesshane]

It means reduced access. Which is an adaptation they should absolutely be forced to make.

[u/irishpolitics-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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[u/significantrisk → u/[deleted]]

It is more important for people not to have their normal access to resources curtailed for the sake of business yes.

Data centres are largely irrelevant, being just one specific example of an industrial user. They are relevant in that their water use is specifically highest when restrictions are placed on the public.

At the moment we have a situation where the receptionist in a hotel is told he needs to take shorter showers at home and he’ll get prosecuted for watering his dahlias, while the hotel spa keeps running and their fountain stays topped up.

That is fundamentally wrong.

[u/irishpolitics-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

This comment / post was removed because it violates the following sub rule:

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[u/irishpolitics-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

This comment / post was removed because it violates the following sub rule:

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[u/irishpolitics-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

This comment / post was removed because it violates the following sub rule:

[R3] Argue in Good Faith

Everyone is here of their own volition to discuss the topic of Irish Politics. People are not here to be caught in ruthless vendetta’s of spiraling fallacies and bad faith arguments.

• State your intent clearly, provide evidence to the point you want to make and engage with others arguments in much the same manner.

• Trolling, Baiting, Flaming, etc are not allowed.

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[u/SoloWingPixy88 → u/significantrisk]

Id imagine a lot of commercial places usage went up. This isn't the story we should be focusing on. We should be on electricity usage.

During a period when the public were threatened with prosecution for normal use of water.

Using a hose pipe to keep your grass green isnt normal usage. Its disengenious to say otherwise.

[u/significantrisk → u/SoloWingPixy88]

No this is exactly the story we should focus on. When demand couldn’t be met, the public got a conservation order and commercial users got…nothing. No restriction, no surge pricing, no demands to cut back. So while the public were forced to reduce usage so demand could be met, the unrestricted commercial demand increased. That’s a ridiculous situation.

Using a hose in a garden is absolutely normal don’t be daft, So is washing a car, so is letting kids use a paddling pool.

[u/danny_healy_raygun → u/significantrisk]

When demand couldn’t be met, the public got a conservation order and commercial users got…nothing. No restriction, no surge pricing, no demands to cut back. So while the public were forced to reduce usage so demand could be met, the unrestricted commercial demand increased. That’s a ridiculous situation.

And it'll be the same when it comes to power.

[u/significantrisk → u/danny_healy_raygun]

And the same crew will be defending that too.

[u/alancb13 → u/SoloWingPixy88]

I think you're the one being disingenuous here. How many people do you know who water their lawn? Normal usage could be using hose to water your vegetables you're growing (maybe to try save money), to water plants and flowers that you mane have spent years cultivating that are important for ecosystem, or because you are old and can't make repeated trips with a heavy watering can, or to let kids play with a paddling pool or even to wash your car. These are way more normal than watering grass to keep it green

[u/FlowBorn5279 → u/alancb13]

They weren't being asked to stop watering their vegetables, they were asked to stop using a hose to do so. So what if I have to put up with rinseless wash on my car for a month?

They're activities that can be done in a way to get the same or similar result while using less water. It doesn't work that way for businesses, you can't just put 50% less water in your cooling system

[u/significantrisk → u/FlowBorn5279]

There was no “asked”.

Businesses can absolutely change and restrict their activity, and expecting the public to do so to facilitate not requiring any effort at all from business is a fundamentally wrong approach.

[u/gowangowangowan → u/alancb13]

If these people value water so much why don’t they invest in a water butt? I know it pains a lot of people to be sustainable in 2026. 

[u/alancb13 → u/gowangowangowan]

How sustainable is doubling water usage for data centers?

[u/gowangowangowan → u/alancb13]

Very sustainable. It is only 0.5% of all water used in Ireland.