# The truth about data center water usage

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2026-10-08
- Length: 44m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-10-08-the-truth-about-data-center-water-usage

## Summary

Tim Shedd, founder of Ebullient Insights, explains how the shift from air cooling to single-phase direct-to-chip liquid cooling is transforming data center thermal management. He details how modern GPU racks drawing 220 kW to 500 kW+ require advanced cold plates and manifolds, rendering traditional air cooling obsolete. Shedd argues that while historical data centers used significant water for evaporative cooling, modern designs optimize for higher temperature rejection, drastically reducing water consumption and allowing for closed-loop systems. The discussion also covers the industry's need for greater transparency to address community concerns about local water usage and infrastructure impacts.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-10-08-the-truth-about-data-center-water-usage#t=7) Introduction: Data Center Water Usage Debate
- [3:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-10-08-the-truth-about-data-center-water-usage#t=221) Thermal Challenges and Rack Density Evolution
- [11:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-10-08-the-truth-about-data-center-water-usage#t=698) From Air Cooling to Liquid Cooling Architectures
- [17:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-10-08-the-truth-about-data-center-water-usage#t=1059) Direct-to-Chip, Immersion, and Two-Phase Cooling
- [25:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-10-08-the-truth-about-data-center-water-usage#t=1552) Heat Rejection Systems and Water Consumption
- [39:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-10-08-the-truth-about-data-center-water-usage#t=2349) Community Communication and Social License

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Ebullient Insights (company)
- NVIDIA (company)
- AMD (company)
- Dell (company)
- HPE (company)
- Supermicro (company)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (company)
- GridBeyond (company)
- EnergyHub (company)
- Valvoline (company)
- Daikin (company)
- Rheem (company)
- Microsoft (company)
- Google (company)
- Meta (company)
- Waymo (company)
- Latitude Media (company)
- Catalyst (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S1E03 This ain’t your grandma’s cooling technology | David Binger](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-05-01-s1e03-this-aint-your-grandmas-cooling-technology-david-binger) (Being an Engineer)
- [Episode 79: Not Your Grandfathers Data Center](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-circuit/2024-08-14-episode-79-not-your-grandfathers-data-center) (The Circuit)
- [AI Is Getting Hot: Can Additive Manufacturing Help Cool It Down?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-08-18-ai-is-getting-hot-can-additive-manufacturing-help-cool-it-down) (Additive Snack)
- [An Interview with Rick Altherr](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-08-29-an-interview-with-rick-altherr) (The Amp Hour)
- [Smart Air, Smarter Cooling: Actasys's Innovation in Data Center Technology](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2025-02-10-smart-air-smarter-cooling-actasyss-innovation-in-data-center-technology) (Over the Air)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-10-08-the-truth-about-data-center-water-usage. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.