Elon Musk has endorsed NVIDIA's "green" manifesto: the water footprint of AI infrastructure under the microscope
The largest technology corporations are increasingly coming under fire for their colossal consumption of natural resources, primarily fresh water. However, NVIDIA's management firmly rejects these accusations, stating that modern liquid cooling systems almost completely eliminate the water evaporation characteristic of previous-generation infrastructure.
Entrepreneur Elon Musk, whose company xAI actively uses clusters based on NVIDIA solutions, publicly supported this position, calling the latest chips a key element of his AI projects. His endorsement significantly strengthens the partners' position in the media field.
Real Numbers: How Much Water Do Data Centers Actually Consume?
In its blog, NVIDIA cites data from the Manhattan Institute for March 2026: according to analysts, data centers consume only about 0.2% of all fresh water in the US, with the lion's share of this volume attributed to indirect consumption—electricity generation.
Modern liquid cooling, operating at a stable temperature of 45 degrees, allows AI complexes in northern latitudes to fully switch to economical dry coolers. This eliminates the need for bulky evaporative cooling towers. In 2025, NVIDIA already claimed that Blackwell systems are 300 times more water-efficient than air cooling.
Since maintaining optimal temperature consumes up to 40% of a data center's total energy, this innovative approach is radically changing the rules of global competition in the artificial intelligence market.
Limitations and Hidden Risks of "Dry" Technologies
However, optimistic national reports often mask real regional problems. Loud claims of zero water consumption only address the direct cooling loop.
| Consumption Type (2023, USA) | Volume (gallons) |
| Direct server cooling | 17.4 billion |
| Indirect needs (energy) | 211 billion |
Indirect costs are rapidly increasing amid the large-scale deployment of neural networks. Analysts at the Berkeley Lab predict that direct consumption will jump to 38-73 billion gallons by 2028.
The efficiency of dry coolers is directly tied to climate: the equipment shows excellent results in cool states, but its performance drops in arid desert zones.
The startup xAI also feels environmental pressure. For example, the giant computing complex Memphis Colossus drew up to 1.3 million gallons of clean drinking water daily from underground sources. Additionally, the company launched dozens of gas turbines before obtaining official permits, sparking outrage among local residents and leading to high-profile lawsuits.
My analysis: Musk's public support is a powerful PR move, but it does not negate the fundamental problem: even the most efficient cooling systems are constrained by the indirect costs of energy generation. The future development of the industry will depend entirely on the strictness of environmental regulation by authorities, not on the loud statements of market leaders.