While ordinary households are forced to restrict their water, data centres continue to guzzle millions of litres completely unchecked. Lynn Boylan MEP called on the government to end the blatant double standard and immediately pass laws forcing data centres to declare their water use.
Lynn Boylan MEP said:
“It’s incredible that the government slapped a hosepipe ban on ordinary households yet is placing absolutely no restrictions on data centres.
“Instead of standing up to the tech giants running these water guzzlers, the government thinks it’s better to set up a snitching hotline for neighbours to report on one another.
“Under Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independents, it’s one rule for people trying to grow a few vegetables in the back garden or cool their children off in the paddling pool, another for data centres and big tech.
“The fact is data centres use vast amounts of water. The Facebook one in Clonee uses over 900,000 cubic metres of water. The average person uses 125 cubic metres. Claims that data centres don’t use a lot simply don’t stack up.
“Despite the massive drain on resources, the government strategically keeps its head in the sand. The deliberately avoid collecting the information from data centres on how much water they use.
“It’s a sly trick to avoid taking action. If you don’t measure it, you can’t regulate it.
“We can’t let them get away with it. There’s something they can do about it right now.
“In 2023, the EU passed the Energy Efficiency Directive, a piece of legislation that obliges our government to force Big Tech to publicly disclose the water each of their data centres uses.
“Initially, the government tried to weasel out of their obligations claiming the EU would do it instead. However, in a response to a direct question I submitted, the Commission clarified this loophole was closed. The government must make “this information publicly accessible”.
“Now, the government is stalling. Despite asking them to pass it since March of last year, they refused to act.
“The time for excuses is over. The government needs to implement that legislation, force data centres to tell the public how much water they are extracting from our communities, and force them to use less.
“It’s time to end this blatant double standard.”
