Environment Minister Schneider wants to make data centers pay more for water

In the event of a water shortage, data center operators should pay more for water or invest in more economical technology, according to Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider. Such bottlenecks are also becoming more common in Germany, the SPD politician told the dpa news agency.

"If water is scarce, it cannot be the case that citizens' basic needs have to compete with large consumers such as data centers," said Schneider. His conclusion: "Then operators of data centers, who often make very high profits, will have to pay more for water or invest in technology to save water." A framework is needed that rewards the economical use of water and provides incentives for investments in efficient technologies.

Data centers require a lot of electricity. Its expansion is being driven by the boom in artificial intelligence. Water is needed, among other things, for power generation and cooling. Some new projects rely on water-saving or waterless cooling concepts.

In addition, according to Schneider, pharmaceutical companies will in future have to pay to clean the water from drug residues. There is great lobbying pressure against this, but the principle of producer responsibility is correct and must remain in place. According to a spokesman for the Association of Municipal Companies (VKU), it is still unclear how this will be specifically organized in Germany; there is no draft law yet.

In general, Schneider advocated a new approach to water in Germany: “more efficient, more forward-looking, fairer.” Water must be retained in the landscape as well as possible, for example through the rewetting of moors, more space for rivers and more mixed forests.

Schneider emphasized that the public water supply must also be made fit for the new reality of climate change. “Efficient water storage tanks, sewer networks and sewage treatment plants are crucial investments in the future.” The states would therefore do well to invest a relevant portion of the funds from the special fund in the water infrastructure.