Water Consumption of Industry Is 3,000 Times Higher Than That of Data Centers in Brazil, Says Brasscom Study

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 31/08/2025 at 09:49

Updated on 31/08/2025 at 09:50

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Brasscom Reveals That Data Centers Represented Only 0.003% of the National Water Consumption in 2022 and Should Reach 0.008% in 2029

The Brazilian data centers consume 3,080 times less water than the manufacturing industry, according to a study published by Brasscom in August 2025. The survey shows that the sector accounted for only 0.003% of the national consumptive water use in 2022, which corresponds to 2 billion liters. During the same period, the manufacturing industry was responsible for 9.4%.

For comparison, human supply represented 24% of the total, while irrigated agriculture consumed 53%.

The president of Brasscom, Affonso Nina, stated that the publication of the data is essential to avoid misinformation: “It is important to inform society so that there is no misinformation on the subject, he said.

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Projections for 2029

The study indicates that by 2029, data centers will consume 0.008% of the national water, equivalent to 30 billion liters.

Despite the growth, the percentage remains relatively insignificant compared to the total. The document also highlights that about 90% of the Brazilian park will use closed-loop cooling systems by the end of the decade.

This model requires only an initial supply of 23,000 liters per installed megawatt and annual replacements of 10%. Therefore, the impact remains limited.

Energy Consumption

In addition to water, the survey analyzed electricity use. In 2024, data centers accounted for 1.7% of Brazilian consumption, around 11.3 TWh.

The projection indicates growth to 3.6% by 2029, following the expansion of installed IT capacity, which is expected to evolve from 843 MW to 2,192 MW during this period.

In São Paulo, the largest national hub, data centers accounted for 1.97% of energy consumption in 2023, equivalent to 0.53 TWh. This figure reinforces the importance of the sector for local infrastructure.

Energy Efficiency and Technological Innovation

Brasscom emphasizes that advances in efficiency are continuous. The PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) index, which measures the relationship between total energy consumed and energy allocated to IT equipment, has been showing a decline.

Between 2025 and 2030, the expectation is a reduction of 7.3%, reaching a global average close to 1.4.

In the cooling field, new solutions are already being implemented. Among them are direct-to-chip cooling, which transfers heat directly to cold plates with refrigerant liquid, and immersion in dielectric fluid.

These technologies allow for expanding the thermal operating range of the equipment and reducing costs related to water and energy.

References and Legislative Impact

The study was prepared by Brasscom in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Data Centers (ABDC) and underwent technical review by the Apolônio Salles Foundation (Fadurpe).

The bases include the National Energy Balance from EPE, the National Water Agency (ANA), and installed power information provided by industry members.

Affonso Nina also emphasized that the results should contribute to the political debate. “We hope that the study can positively contribute to the debate during the processing of ReData when it is on the agenda in the National Congress, so that Legislators can take their positions, he stated.

With information from Tele Síntese.

Water Consumption of Industry Is 3,000 Times Higher Than That of Data Centers in Brazil, Says Brasscom Study

Brasscom Reveals That Data Centers Represented Only 0.003% of the National Water Consumption in 2022 and Should Reach 0.008% in 2029

Projections for 2029

Energy Consumption

Energy Efficiency and Technological Innovation

References and Legislative Impact

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Water Consumption of Industry Is 3,000 Times Higher Than That of Data Centers in Brazil, Says Brasscom Study

Brasscom Reveals That Data Centers Represented Only 0.003% of the National Water Consumption in 2022 and Should Reach 0.008% in 2029

Projections for 2029

Energy Consumption

Energy Efficiency and Technological Innovation

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