The unconventional way we can help save water and avoid shortages

• The Environment Agency (EA) is urging the public to help manage pressure on data centres, which require large amounts of water for cooling, to avoid a potential water shortage in England in 30 years.
• The EA warns that England could face a shortfall of nearly five billion litres of water a day due to population increase, climate change, and the growth of UK data centres driven by AI.
• Large data centres are estimated to use around 360,000 litres of water a day, contributing to increased energy consumption.
• The EA suggests five steps the public can take to help stop a water shortage, including deleting old emails, shortening showers, and using full loads for dishwashers and washing machines.
• EA chairman Alan Lovell stresses the need for coordinated action to preserve water resources, highlighting the threat to economic growth, food production, and the environment.

IN FULL

How deleting your old emails could help England avoid major water shortages