India: Data centers boom as water supply runs low

Residents of Khora, a densely populated area in the city of Ghaziabad, just outside New Delhi, have long struggled to obtain a reliable water supply.

"We are dependent on groundwater. In some parts, one has to dig 1,000-1,200 feet (305-366 meters) to extract water," said Deepak Joshi, president of the Khora Residents' Association.

"The residents have been trying to get the water issue in Khora resolved for the last 10 years, but nothing has changed," he told DW.

Now, several data centers have been built in the area. Companies around the world are still scrambling to set up new AI infrastructure and India is increasingly positioning itself as a data center hub — but the new sites demand enormous quantities of water to cool the servers.

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Many of India's water-stressed regions, including Khora, are feeling the bite.

Carpenter Naeemuddin Saifi has been living in Khora for the last 35 years, but he still does not own his water connection. Like many in the locality, he relies on a shared borewell connection and pays 1,000-1,200 rupees (about $10.50-$12.50, €9.10-€10.90) every month for it.

Joshi says each borewell costs around half a million rupees, or some $5,250. Many families here simply don't have that kind of money.