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AI data centres use a lot of water. Here in B.C., we’re doing things differently. A BC NDP government will strictly regulate how much water data centres use and make them report it publicly. And if there’s ever a shortage, it won’t be farmers or communities that go without.... show more
34,569 views • 2 days ago •via X (Twitter)
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Eby is misleading people. Here are the facts: Traditional evaporative-cooled data centres can use a lot of water, but Alberta’s major new AI projects are not designed that way. Meta’s Sturgeon County data centre uses a closed-loop liquid cooling system with dry coolers. It uses no water for normal cooling operations. Total on-site water use is limited to domestic needs, fire protection, and maintenance—and Meta says the whole campus will use less water per year than a typical Alberta golf course. Alberta’s cooler climate makes this practical. Newer systems (as described by NVIDIA) can cut cooling water use by up to 100% in the right conditions because the coolant runs warm enough that outdoor air rejects the heat without evaporation. Alberta’s water rules already protect existing users. Under the Water Act and First In Time, First In Right, new industrial licences (including data centres) are the most junior in their basin and are cut first during shortages. Household use is never curtailed, and farmers and irrigation districts hold senior rights. Eby’s blanket claim that “AI data centres use a lot of water” and the suggestion that rules are being jettisoned elsewhere ignore how modern facilities in Alberta are actually being built and regulated. @ABDanielleSmith
They use no more water than a small BC golf course…you’re gonna get smoked…
No company in their right mind would build a data centre with the NDP in charge
Golf parks use far more water and no one has a problem with those. This fear mongering is low IQ manipulation.
Dontcha love it when people hate on data centers... ...on social media? They really don't get it, do they?
Did AI tell you this was a good time to run an election?
False. A new age data centre consumes as much water as a typical restaurant does per year. But of course that won’t pander to the left.
Another regulatory board you can stuff with your own cronies making 6-figure salaries.
Oh we like generalizations now? I wonder what else we could generalize? Ai can use a lot of water, most new designs do not.
Actually, data centres can be built without the use of significant water and can produce heating for colder communities.
Nitwit hates anything of economical value to be built. Because he'll just pick money from the money tree to spend on gov sector parasites and turd world parasites. No wonder BC is the most broke place in North America.
The NDP “ fuck racism and fuck white people” This isn’t going away Dave . Time to acknowledge your racist members .
Keep killing the resource sector that pays the bills in BC
This is so silly. I guess he hasn’t heard that they are closed water systems. That means the supply is looped! 🤡🤡🤡🤡
You shut farmers off this summer in the interior, meanwhile the golf courses look great. GFY!
Newer AI data centers are shifting away from that: • High-density AI racks (often 100 kW+ per rack, vs. 5–20 kW traditionally) generate more heat, but they increasingly use direct-to-chip liquid cooling, closed-loop systems, and higher-temperature operation. • Nvidia’s DSX reference design (for systems like Vera Rubin) uses a closed-loop coolant (roughly 75% water + 25% propylene glycol) that is filled once and recirculated. In favorable climates, it can run with near-zero or zero evaporative water use by rejecting heat via dry coolers (coolant up to ~45°C / 113°F). • Microsoft has introduced AI-optimized designs that consume zero water for cooling during normal operations via closed-loop direct-to-chip systems. About 90% of its owned fleet already uses low- or zero-water cooling approaches, and its water-use effectiveness (WUE) has improved dramatically (to ~0.27 L/kWh). • AWS reports a low WUE of ~0.12 L/kWh and notes heavy use of air cooling with evaporative water only on the hottest days. Meta and others have similar efficiency goals and some near-zero water designs. These advances mean many new AI facilities can operate with minimal ongoing water draw for cooling (sometimes comparable to a couple of restaurants annually for certain closed-loop designs). Efficiency gains are real and substantial compared with older evaporative systems.
@grok didn’t @MarkJCarney who Dave Eby loves so much have some crazy idea about putting data centres in Vancouver? Some scheme with liberal friendly developers or something? I suspect this will be another Eby promise he will break anyhow, but still.
They use closed loop systems which once charged need small amounts of make-up water to run!
Are you going to kick out @NikiSharma2 ???
NO THEY DONT USE A LOT OF WATER!! At least - not anymore with the newer centers. They recycle it like a water-cooled PC does. Very little needs replacing.
Go ask about the data centre that was approved by the @CityofBurnaby without ZERO public consultation. You seriously have no control over anything. And BTW. You and @nikisharma2 should be stripped from practicing law for LIFE.
if he knew anything about data centers he would know they operated on multi year take or pay contracts with water and power firmly contracted. if you say its interruptable, no data center. simple
Nobody will build anything here with you guys in power. Just like Nutrien bypassing BC so they domt have to deal with your crap.
There.
hey david fire this woman now!
We live next to the Pacific Ocean 🙄
Try and ketchup. They use a closed loop system like a car engine now.
Suddenly fuck climate change eh?? That was easy.
Your socialist “eco warrior” BS isn’t going to work Eby. You selfishly called an election and British Columbians are jumping at the chance to turf you now.
Whats up with the Attorney General ? Will she be fired….
Bro, seriously? Have fun staying poor.
You could have just done that with the 2 years left in your mandate. You didn't need to waste 100,000,000 taxpayer dollars on a stupid Trump election.
Eby is pandering for votes by spreading misinformation on AI. Here is the thing, your announcement is threatening and no one wants to do business in BC under threat. I stated this back in August: "Modern AI data centers deploy "zero-water" or closed-loop cooling designs—utilizing direct-to-chip liquid loops, dielectric fluid immersion, and dry coolers—to eliminate on-site water evaporation entirely, even in arid climates. This datacenter would likely use less water than the average golf course in a standard operating year, and that would mostly be for human consumption and facility cleaning use." Its well known that AI infrastructure can be built in a way that it produces more clean water and more clean power than it uses through continued innovations, but when it does, why should it share that with your government or any of the Canadian AI doomers who are pandering for votes? British Columbians deserve better than this NDP trickery; The “use a lot of water” generalization does not accurately describe the modern facilities being built next door in AB.
If you did 1/10 of the stuff you have put on here in the last few weeks you’d could hold your head up. Now, it seems you are campaigning on your failures 😂
