โ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ต & ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐:
India's data-centre capacity is projected to reach 5 GW by 2030, creating severe localized water stress because AI facilities rely on water-intensive cooling towers.
โ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:
While national water footprints seem small, hyperscale clusters in specific cities can account for up to 10% of municipal water demand during dry months, competing with domestic use.
โ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐:
Current state policies focus entirely on investment incentives, treating water as a guaranteed supply rather than a governed common pool resource with efficiency reporting.
โ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐จ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ (๐ง๐จ๐ช):
Reusing treated municipal sewage provides a drought-proof alternative that relieves pressure on freshwater and transforms a major urban pollution threat into a resource.
โ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ & ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐:
Data centres can easily afford high-quality treated wastewater (accounting for <0.5% of operating costs) or invest in aquifer recharge projects to offset their groundwater use.
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