The Freshwater Lab Chicago Water Week Symposium: Recycling Water for Data Centers and Quantum Computing

The rapid expansion of data centers is on everyone’s mind. While there is much talk about energy use and data centers, the implications for water are less known. They are considerable. New hyperscale data centers are forecasted to withdraw 150.4 billion gallons of water between 2025 and 2030, the equivalent of 4.6 million U.S. households.

More than 97% of water used by major data center operators is purchased from municipal drinking water systems and used consumptively, meaning that it is evaporated and lost to the system. Data center water use, even in the Great Lakes watershed, has serious implications for the present and the future.

Although data centers potentially require a lot of water, they do not need high quality drinking water. Other countries and U.S. states rely on water recycling to supply this growing sector, and their precedent can be a roadmap for water reuse around the Great Lakes.

• What would it take to advance water reuse in Illinois?
• What policy, infrastructure, partnerships and voices are essential?
• What can we learn from established models elsewhere, and what can Illinois contribute?

Through focused discussion and breakout sessions, we aim to move beyond ideas toward actionable pathways. Learn more on the Freshwater Lab website.

This event is affiliated with Chicago Water Week, presented by Current.

Register for the event.