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Written question asked by Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru) on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 16 September 2026. It was answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra (Labour) on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.

Data Centres: Water Supply

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have assessed the amount of additional water required to the meet the needs of AI and associated industries and services; and whether they have targets for additional supply of water for each of the regions of England.

Answer

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, works with DEFRA, the Environment Agency and others to ensure that AI-enabled data infrastructure does not compromise public water supply resilience. Water resource planning in England is undertaken through statutory Water Resources Management Plans prepared by water companies, regional water resources plans, and the Environment Agency's National Framework for Water Resources.

The Government supports the adoption of efficient cooling technologies (closed-loop systems) and alternative sources like rainwater harvesting. National planning policy embeds consideration of sustainable water use and resource efficiency in decision making. In 2025, a 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. This is small compared to other sectors.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL3049
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Water supply Artificial intelligence Data centres
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk