行业分析：数据中心冷却水韧性评估应超越WUE聚焦场地条件

Paper Craft Red Thermometer Shows Extremely High Temperature on Summer Heatwave

During heatwaves, average WUE tells little about whether a facility can hold cooling setpoints under peak stress.Getty Images在热浪期间，平均 WUE 几乎无法说明设施在峰值压力下能否维持制冷设定点。Getty Images

As data center capacity expands worldwide, water resilience is becoming as important a consideration as energy efficiency – yet it remains far less rigorously assessed. A data center may report an excellent Water Use Effectiveness (WUE) or advertise a “waterless” cooling strategy. Still, such claims often reveal little about performance under the greatest strain on water systems.随着全球数据中心容量扩张，水韧性正成为与能源效率同等重要的考量因素，但对其评估仍远不够严格。数据中心可能报告出色的水利用效率（WUE），或宣传“无水”制冷策略。然而，此类说法往往很少揭示供水系统在最大压力下的性能。

The recent dispute over Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing’s proposed 330 MW AI data center in California illustrates this challenge. Initially presented as a project that would rely on reclaimed wastewater rather than Colorado River supplies, the development later sought access to river water after alternative sources proved unavailable. The Imperial Irrigation District denied this request in May 2026, prompting a lawsuit still pending in Imperial County court.最近围绕 Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing 在加利福尼亚州拟建的 330 MW AI 数据中心的争议体现了这一挑战。该项目最初被介绍为将依赖再生废水而非科罗拉多河供水，但在替代水源被证明无法获得后，开发方后来又寻求取用河水。Imperial Irrigation District 于 2026 年 5 月拒绝了这一请求，引发了仍在 Imperial County 法院审理的诉讼。

The case underscores a broader question facing the data center industry: during a severe heatwave, when cooling demand surges and local water resources are already under pressure, what matters is not simply how much water a facility consumes on average, but whether it can continue operating reliably without exacerbating local water stress.该案凸显了数据中心行业面临的一个更广泛问题：在严重热浪期间，当制冷需求激增且当地水资源已承压时，重要的不仅仅是设施平均消耗多少水，还在于其能否持续可靠运行，同时不加剧当地水资源压力。

Answering this question requires moving beyond efficiency metrics toward a broader understanding of water resilience. The following site-specific elements are essential to consider:回答这个问题需要超越效率指标，更广泛地理解水韧性。以下场地特定因素必须加以考虑：

Performance Under Peak Conditions峰值条件下的性能

Cooling performance should be evaluated under peak stress conditions rather than average annual conditions. Extreme heat events simultaneously increase cooling demand and strain electricity infrastructure. The July 2026 heatwaves in the United States exemplify this dynamic: PJM Interconnection – the grid operator coordinating electricity across a 13-state Mid-Atlantic and Midwest region – warned that large electricity consumers, including data centers, may need to switch to on-site generation to help maintain grid reliability.制冷性能应在峰值压力条件而非年平均条件下评估。极端高温事件会同时增加制冷需求并给电力基础设施带来压力。美国2026 年 7 月热浪就体现了这一态势：协调大西洋中部和中西部 13 个州电力的电网运营商 PJM Interconnection 警告称，包括数据中心在内的大型电力用户可能需要切换至现场发电，以帮助维护电网可靠性。

Local Water Scarcity and Allocation Among Competing Users本地水资源短缺及竞争用户间的分配

Water availability must be assessed within the specific watershed where the facility operates. Scarcity is not merely a regional or national indicator but a function of local allocation rules, competing uses, and legal entitlements. In water-stressed regions such as Imperial Valley, where agricultural users hold senior claims to much of the Colorado River allocation, the critical question is not only whether water exists, but who can access it during shortages.必须在设施运营所在的特定流域内评估水的可获得性。缺水不仅仅是一个区域或国家指标，还取决于当地分配规则、竞争性用途和法律权益。在 Imperial Valley 等水资源紧张地区，农业用户对科罗拉多河的大部分分配量持有优先使用权，关键问题不仅在于是否有水，还在于短缺期间谁能够取水。

Reclaimed Water Availability and Quality再生水的可获得性与水质

The viability of reclaimed or recycled water depends on both accessibility and suitability. A potential source may exist regionally but not be deliverable to a specific site at the required volume, reliability, or quality. Water quality characteristics, such as total dissolved solids, hardness, and biological activity, determine the level of treatment required before the water can be used for cooling.对再生水或循环水而言，其可行性取决于可获得性和适用性。区域内或许存在潜在水源，但无法按要求的水量、可靠性或水质输送到特定场地。总溶解固体、硬度和生物活性等水质特征，决定了水在用于制冷前所需的处理程度。

Discharge Constraints排放约束

Resilience depends not only on water withdrawals but also on discharge capacity. Cooling systems generate blowdown and other wastewater streams that may be constrained by sewer capacity, permit conditions, treatment capabilities, or limits on thermal and chemical releases. A facility may have sufficient water supplies yet still face operational constraints on the discharge side.韧性不仅取决于取水，还取决于排水能力。冷却系统会产生排污水和其他废水流，可能受到污水管网容量、许可条件、处理能力以及热排放和化学品排放限制的制约。设施可能拥有充足的供水，但在排放端仍面临运营约束。

The Water-Energy Nexus水-能源关联

Cooling technology choices should be evaluated in terms of water-energy trade-offs. Strategies that minimize water consumption often increase electricity demand, while more water-intensive approaches may reduce energy use and associated emissions. As a result, the most resilient solution is not necessarily the one with the lowest water consumption, but the one best suited to local environmental and infrastructure conditions.冷却技术选择应从水-能源权衡的角度进行评估。尽量降低耗水量的策略通常会增加电力需求，而更高耗水的方法可能会减少能源使用及相关排放。因此，最具韧性的解决方案不一定是耗水量最低的方案，而是最适合当地环境与基础设施条件的方案。

Applying the Framework in Site Selection and Operations在选址和运营中应用该框架

Beyond an assessment framework, the considerations carry practical value for decision-making. Applied during site selection, they help identify risks, such as contested water rights, competing demands, or uncertain reclaimed water supplies, before major investments are made. They also support cooling strategy choices by evaluating options against local water and energy conditions, rather than relying on default technologies or untested “waterless” claims. Finally, the considerations provide data center operators and water utilities with a shared basis for discussions on capacity, discharge requirements, and resource allocation. Applied early and at the site scale, this assessment framework could help resolve water-availability concerns through planning and negotiation rather than litigation, as seen in Imperial Valley.除作为评估框架外，这些考量对决策也具有实际价值。在选址期间应用，有助于在重大投资落实前识别各类风险，例如存在争议的水权、竞争性用水需求或不确定的再生水供应。这些考量还可根据当地水资源和能源条件评估各种方案，为冷却策略选择提供支持，而不是依赖默认技术或未经检验的“无水”主张。最后，这些考量为数据中心运营商和水务机构讨论容量、排放要求和资源分配提供了共同基础。若在场地尺度尽早应用，该评估框架可通过规划和协商而非诉讼来解决水资源可得性问题，帝国谷的情况即是如此。

Ultimately, water resilience is not a global metric or a corporate pledge; it is a site-specific property shaped by local conditions, competing demands, and infrastructure realities. As data center development continues to expand, the industry’s credibility in water stewardship will increasingly depend on its ability to demonstrate resilience locally – through transparent, context-based assessments rather than aggregated reporting alone.归根结底，水韧性并非一项全局指标或企业承诺，而是由当地条件、竞争性需求和基础设施现实状况所塑造的场地特定属性。随着数据中心开发持续扩张，该行业在水资源管理方面的公信力将越来越取决于其在当地证明韧性的能力——即通过透明且结合当地情境的评估，而不仅仅依靠汇总报告。

About the Authors关于作者

Marcello Serrao is a water treatment and data specialist with a PhD in wastewater process modeling and 20+ years of experience in water-system engineering, focused on water reuse, digital twins, and resilience assessment.Marcello Serrao 是水处理与数据专家，拥有废水过程建模博士学位和20+年水系统工程经验，专注于水回用、数字孪生和韧性评估。

「英中对照」行业分析：数据中心冷却水韧性评估应超越WUE聚焦场地条件