Ecolab has released findings from its third annual Watermark Study, reporting that rapid growth in artificial intelligence (AI) is closely tied to increased demands on water resources, particularly for manufacturing AI technologies and operating data centers. The study, conducted in March 2025 with Morning Consult across regions including Asia Pacific, China, Europe, Latin America, India/Middle East/Africa, and the United States, reveals that consumer awareness of AI’s energy needs is higher than their understanding of its water footprint—only 46 percent of US consumers recognize water use in AI operations, compared to 55 percent acknowledging power use.
Ecolab notes that as the number of data centers and semiconductor fabrication facilities increases globally, water consumption is set to rise significantly. The company reports that by 2050, global population growth will drive a 47 percent increase in energy demand, while water demand is outpacing supply, with a projected 56 percent global water deficit by 2030.
According to the study, current industrial water reuse rates remain low—just 20 percent of industrial wastewater is reused, and less than 10 percent within the microelectronics sector, which includes chip and hardware manufacturing. Ecolab states this represents both an engineering flaw and an underutilized opportunity to drive business growth through improved water reclamation.
The findings are particularly relevant for data center operators, colocation providers, and technology vendors, who face increasing pressure for water stewardship and transparent action. Most consumers surveyed expect businesses to invest in technologies and infrastructure that mitigate AI’s effects on natural resources, yet skepticism persists regarding whether companies and governments are fully adopting such strategies—belief in this is especially low across all surveyed regions.
Christophe Beck, chairman and chief executive officer at Ecolab, emphasized the resource constraints facing the industry: “By 2050, the world will have nearly 30% more people and require 47% more energy. Water demand will continue to surge—yet by 2030, the world already faces a projected 56% water deficit. The AI boom is helping to shape this future, unleashing the potential for new business growth and transformative innovation. At the same time, every week a new data center opens, and every month a new fab comes online. While we can create more of the energy these facilities need, we cannot create more of our most vital resource – water.”
The company advocates for deploying AI in real-time water monitoring and data analytics to minimize facility water usage—proposing that, with optimized management systems, data centers could ultimately consume less water than conventional applications like car washes.
Source: Ecolab
