The UK government has issued an unusual recommendation to citizens: delete old emails and photos to help conserve water amid one of the most severe droughts in recent history. This advice comes as the country faces a “nationally significant incident” with five regions officially declared in drought and six others experiencing prolonged dry conditions, following the driest six months leading up to July since 1976.
Why Delete Emails to Save Water?
The rationale behind the directive is linked to the immense water demands of data centres, which host the nation’s digital clutter. Data centres use vast quantities of water to cool their servers and maintain operations, especially as demand for cloud storage, photos, and AI-driven services soars. According to Oxford University research, even a relatively small 1 megawatt data centre can consume around 26 million litres of water annually.
Helen Wakeham, Director of Water at the Environment Agency and chair of the National Drought Group, explained:
“Everyday decisions, like switching off a tap or clearing out old emails, can substantially contribute to the collective endeavour to lessen demand and protect the vitality of our rivers and wildlife.”
The government’s press release, following a meeting of the National Drought Group on Tuesday, listed everyday measures citizens can take, ranging from collecting rainwater to fixing leaks, as well as deleting old emails and photos.
Some experts and commentators have questioned the effectiveness of this measure. While deleting emails could free up space in energy-hungry data centres, most water and power consumption stems from active computation and cooling, not data storage itself. The advice is symbolic of broader concerns about how digital growth and AI ambitions may strain critical resources like water.
The Future of Digital Consumption and Water
With plans to increase AI computing capability and build new data centres, the UK government’s stance highlights the complex relationship between digital convenience and environmental sustainability. As data centre numbers increase, ensuring water-efficient cooling technologies and sustainable resource management will become ever more critical.
