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Written question asked by Bishop of Norwich (Bishops (affiliation)) on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 29 July 2026. It was answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Labour) on Wednesday, 29 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

Data Centres: Water

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the water usage requirements of large-scale data centres, particularly in times of drought.

Answer

The Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade engages regularly with relevant organisations such as DEFRA and the Environment Agency, recognising the need to ensure data infrastructure does not compromise the resilience of public water supplies.

The Government supports the adoption of efficient cooling technologies, including closed-loop systems and alternative water sources such as rainwater harvesting, and national planning policy embeds consideration of sustainable water use and resource efficiency in decision making. In 2025, a joint techUK-Environment Agency survey found that 51% of surveyed sites use closed loop cooling systems, and 64% use less than 10,000m³ of water per year.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL2151
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Water Data centres
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk