AI demand means information centres are worsening drought in Mexico

Positioned in the midst of Mexico, Querétaro is a captivating and vibrant colonial-style metropolis identified for its dazzling stone aqueduct.

However the metropolis, and state of the identical identify, can be recognised for a really completely different purpose – as Mexico’s information centre capital.

Throughout the state firms together with Microsoft, Amazon Internet Companies and ODATA personal these warehouse-like buildings, stuffed with pc servers.

Nobody may provide an actual quantity, however there are scores of them, with extra being constructed.

Ascenty, which claims to be the biggest information centre firm in Latin America, has two in Querétaro, each round 20,000 sq ft in dimension, with a 3rd underneath development.

It’s forecast that greater than $10bn (£7.4bn) in information centre-related funding will pour into the state within the subsequent decade.

“The demand for AI is accelerating the development of knowledge centres at an unprecedented pace,” says Shaolei Ren, affiliate professor {of electrical} and pc engineering on the College of California Riverside.

So, what is the attraction of Querétaro?

“It is a very strategic area,” explains Arturo Bravo, Mexico nation supervisor at Ascenty.

“Querétaro is correct within the center [of the country], connecting east, west, north and south,” he says.

Which means it’s comparatively near Mexico Metropolis. It’s also related to high-speed information cables, so massive quantities of knowledge may be shifted rapidly.

Mr Bravo additionally factors out that there’s assist from the municipality and central authorities.

“It has been recognized as a expertise hub,” he says. “Each present a variety of good options by way of permits, regulation and zoning.”

However why are many US firms selecting this state over someplace nearer to dwelling?

“The ability grid capability constraint within the US is pushing tech firms to search out out there energy wherever they’ll,” says Shaolei Ren, affiliate professor {of electrical} and pc engineering on the College of California Riverside, including that the price of land and vitality, and business-friendly insurance policies are additionally enticing.

Knowledge centres host hundreds of servers – a specialised sort of pc for processing and sending information.

Anybody that is labored with a pc on their lap will know that they get uncomfortably sizzling. So to cease information centres melting down, elaborate cooling techniques are wanted which might use enormous quantities of water.

Nonetheless, not all information centres eat water on the similar charge.

Some use water evaporation to dissipate the warmth, which works effectively however is thirsty.

A small information centre utilizing such a cooling can use round 25.5 million litres of water per 12 months.

Different information centres, like these owned by Ascenty, use a closed-loop system, which circulates water by means of chillers.

In the meantime, Microsoft informed the BBC it operates three information centres in Querétaro. They use direct out of doors air for cooling roughly 95% of the 12 months, requiring zero water.

It mentioned for the remaining 5% of the 12 months, when ambient temperatures exceed 29.4°C, they use evaporative cooling.

For the fiscal 12 months 2025, its Querétaro websites used 40 million litres of water, it added.

That is nonetheless a variety of water. And should you have a look at total consumption on the largest information centre house owners then the numbers are enormous.

For instance, in its 2025 sustainability report Google said that its whole water consumption elevated by 28% to eight.1bn gallons between 2023 to 2024.

The report additionally mentioned that 72% of the freshwater it used got here from sources at “low threat of water depletion or shortage”.

As well as, information centres additionally not directly eat water, as water is required to supply electrical energy.

The additional water consumption by information centres is an enormous downside for some in Querétaro which final 12 months endured the worst drought of a century, impacting crops and water provides to some communities.

At her dwelling in Querétaro, activist Teresa Roldán tells me residents have requested the authorities for extra info and transparency concerning the information centres and the water they use however says this has not been forthcoming.

“Personal industries are being prioritised in these arid zones,” she says. “We hear that there is going to be 32 information centres however water is what’s wanted for the folks, not for these industries. They [the municipality] are prioritising giving the water they need to the non-public business. Residents will not be receiving the identical high quality of the water than the water that the business is receiving.”

Chatting with the BBC in Querétaro, Claudia Romero Herrara, founding father of water activist organisation Bajo Tierra Museo del Agua,  would not remark immediately on the info centres because of a lack of knowledge however says she’s involved concerning the state’s water points.

“It is a state that’s already going through a disaster that’s so advanced and does not have sufficient water for human disposal. The precedence ought to be water for fundamental means…that is what we have to assure after which possibly assume if there are some assets out there for some other financial exercise. There was a battle of curiosity on public water coverage for the final twenty years.”

A spokesperson for the federal government of the state of Querétaro defended their resolution saying: “We now have at all times mentioned and reiterated that the water is for citizen consumption, not for the business. The municipality has zero schools to water allocation and even much less to assign water high quality. Nor the state, nor the municipality can water allocate to any business or the first sector, that is a job for the Nationwide Water Fee.”

One other concern for these dwelling close to information centres is air air pollution.

Prof Ren says information centres sometimes depend on diesel backup mills that launch massive quantities of dangerous pollution.

“The hazard of diesel pollution from information centres has been effectively recognised,” he says, pointing to a well being evaluation of the air high quality surrounding native information centres by the Division of Ecology on the state of Washington.

Mr Bravo responded to these considerations by saying: “We function underneath the phrases and situations specified by authorities, which, in flip, in my perspective, are those caring for the truth that these situations are acceptable for the communities round and the well being of everyone.”

As for the longer term, Ascenty is planning extra information centres within the area.

“I do see it simply type of progressing and progressing, with a brand new information centre there each few years,” says Mr Bravo.

“The business will proceed to develop as AI grows. It is an important future by way of what’s coming.”