As water shortages become more acute amid the increasingly dry summer months, more hosepipe bans are being implemented across the UK. In a somewhat unconventional move, the Environment Agency (EA) has recently recommended that members of the public help conserve water by “deleting old emails to reduce pressure on data centre servers.”
This advice accompanies familiar tips such as taking shorter showers, turning off taps while brushing teeth, washing full loads in washing machines and dishwashers, and collecting rainwater for garden use. The suggestion to delete emails, however, has raised eyebrows, given its unusual placement among more traditional water-saving advice.
The rationale behind this advice is that data centres, which store and manage vast amounts of digital information, consume significant quantities of water for cooling purposes. Some studies indicate that large data centres can use hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of gallons of water daily, primarily to keep servers cool. However, much of this research stems from studies in the United States, often in arid or semi-arid climates, and may not accurately reflect the UK’s more temperate and variable weather conditions.
In the UK, advances in energy efficiency and the increased use of closed-loop cooling systems, which recycle water multiple times, have reduced the water footprint of data centres. These systems also minimise evaporation losses and enable cleaner water to be returned to the environment. The Environment Agency emphasises that water availability should be a key consideration when planning new data centres, with a preference for recycled water sources over consumption from public water supplies. They are actively working with industry stakeholders to improve understanding and long-term planning around water use in the sector.
While online storage and cloud-based email services like Gmail and Hotmail do contribute to data centre water use, the agency’s advice appears to be an attempt to raise awareness about the broader environmental impacts of our digital habits. It’s worth noting that many individuals also store emails locally, adding complexity to assessing the real impact of deleting old messages on water consumption.
Experts suggest that the impact of deleting emails might be overstated. Deleting old emails could, in theory, reduce storage demands, but it may inadvertently increase processing power and energy use, as servers work harder to manage and delete large amounts of data. Some argue that efforts to curb water use in data centres might be more effectively directed at reducing the processing intensity of consumer AI applications or improving the efficiency of internet messaging platforms that retain extensive chat histories.
In essence, while clearing out old emails might contribute marginally to reducing the load on data centres, it is unlikely to be a silver bullet for drought relief. A more impactful approach could involve reducing overall internet data processing requirements, such as limiting the use of resource-intensive online services or enhancing the efficiency of data management systems. The Environment Agency’s advice, therefore, seems to be a nod towards individual action, but the real solution to water scarcity likely lies in broader industry and infrastructure changes.
The agency’s initiative underscores the interconnectedness of our digital and environmental footprints, but experts caution against overestimating the effect of deleting emails alone. Nonetheless, the push for better digital hygiene and smarter data practices aligns with ongoing efforts to manage water resources sustainably during challenging times.
