AI-powered data centers in Scotland are consuming enough water each year to fill 27 million bottles (500 ml each), according to new BBC Scotland data obtained under Freedom of Information requests. As the AI industry expands, environmental experts are calling for new cooling technologies, better disclosure standards, and integration with Scotland’s renewable-energy and wastewater systems.
Scottish Water confirmed that the volume of tap water used by data centers has quadrupled since 2021. Although this accounts for just 0.005% of the nation’s total water supply, the growth rate underscores the pressures emerging from AI infrastructure. Colin Lindsay, operations manager at Scottish Water, said the agency is “working with developers on a case-by-case basis to explore sustainable water sources to reduce demand on public drinking water.”
Currently, most Scottish data centers rely on open-loop cooling systems that require constant flows of mains water. Developers are being encouraged to adopt closed-loop or wastewater-fed models that recirculate or reuse treated effluent from nearby treatment plants—an approach already piloted in Europe and North America to reduce potable-water demand.
The UK ranks third globally for data-center concentration, trailing only the US and Germany. More than 100 additional centers are expected across the UK in coming years to support AI processing needs. The University of Glasgow’s Centre for Data Science and AI estimates the current carbon footprint of Scotland’s facilities equals each resident driving an extra 90 miles (145 km) annually.
“These figures are very significant,” said Prof. Ana Basiri, Director of the Centre for Data Science and AI at the University of Glasgow. “There is a huge amount of carbon dioxide emissions and water use related to data centers that we often forget about because it is not a very visible thing.”
Basiri and other academics argue that companies operating high-density AI clusters should face clearer reporting mandates on energy and water use, similar to emissions disclosure frameworks under EU CSRD or IFRS S2. They suggest carbon-intensity targets or tax penalties for exceeding sustainability thresholds.
OpenAI said it gives “considerable thought” to supporting sustainability efforts and cited a forthcoming Norwegian data center that will run entirely on renewable energy and use closed-loop cooling. The Scottish government echoed that priority, emphasizing that growth in AI infrastructure must not compromise the country’s net-zero objectives.
A government spokesperson stated that Scottish Water serves as a statutory consultee on all planning applications:
“Developers are encouraged to adopt measures such as closed-loop water systems or use treated final effluent as a sustainable water source.”
Scotland’s cool climate and abundance of renewable power have made it an attractive hub for so-called “green data centers.” Yet without transparent resource reporting and infrastructure planning, the environmental costs of AI’s rapid growth risk outpacing its benefits.
Industry groups are now urging collaboration among utilities, tech companies, and regulators to integrate data-center development into Scotland’s broader water-resource and clean-energy strategies—ensuring digital progress supports, rather than strains, the nation’s sustainability goals.
