The UK’s National Drought Group has urged citizens to cut water use by fixing leaks, taking shorter showers — and deleting old photos and emails stored in the cloud. The advice, issued after its 11 August meeting, comes as England faces a “nationally significant” water shortfall, with five regions officially in drought and six experiencing prolonged dry weather after the driest first half of the year since 1976.
Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency’s Director of Water and NDG chair, said “everyone” should act, noting that some data centres still rely on cooling systems that consume large volumes of fresh water.
Data-centre cooling needs are linked to electricity demand, which is rising sharply as AI workloads expand. The International Energy Agency estimates global data-centre power use at 415 terawatt hours in 2024, potentially more than doubling by 2030. Evaporative cooling in older or high-density sites can drive significant water consumption, though many modern facilities use closed-loop systems that sharply reduce drawdown.
Industry figures point out that compute-intensive AI training accounts for a far greater share of data-centre water and energy use than static storage of archived files, making personal cloud clean-ups a symbolic but limited contribution.
Government policy aims to expand AI-capable infrastructure to at least 6GW by 2030, balancing industrial priorities with environmental impact. Cloud operators including Microsoft are trialling near-zero-water cooling designs, though shifting away from evaporative systems can increase power demand, creating trade-offs with decarbonisation goals.
Local opposition to new sites — on grounds from environmental harm to grid strain — is growing, with ministers considering planning-law changes to speed critical builds.
Analysts say household actions help engage the public, but the largest savings will come from industry and regulators accelerating low-water cooling adoption, retrofitting older facilities, and siting new capacity where power and water supplies can sustain it.
The NDG’s appeal, experts add, is a reminder that small, visible steps must be paired with systemic investment and regulation if the UK is to host world-class AI infrastructure while protecting scarce water resources.
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Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is fresh, with the earliest known publication date being August 13, 2025. The report is based on a recent government communique following a meeting of the UK's National Drought Group on August 11, 2025. The advice to delete old emails and photos to conserve water is a new initiative, not previously reported. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The content is not recycled or republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. ([techinformed.com](https://techinformed.com/government-urges-uk-citizens-to-delete-old-emails/?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quote from Helen Wakeham, the Environment Agency’s Director of Water and chair of the National Drought Group, urging everyone to delete old emails and pictures, appears to be original and exclusive to this report. No identical quotes were found in earlier material, and no variations in wording were noted.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from TechInformed, a technology-focused publication. While it is not as widely recognised as major outlets like the Financial Times or BBC, it is a reputable source within its niche. The report is based on a government communique, which adds credibility. However, the reliance on a single outlet for this information introduces some uncertainty.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claim that deleting old emails and photos can help conserve water is plausible, as data centres do consume significant amounts of water for cooling. However, the actual impact of individual actions like deleting personal data is likely minimal compared to the overall water usage of data centres. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a concern. The tone and language are consistent with official communications, and there are no signs of disinformation.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative is fresh and based on a recent government communique, with no signs of recycled content or disinformation. The direct quotes appear original and exclusive. The source is reputable within its niche, though not as widely recognised as major outlets. The claim about deleting old emails and photos to conserve water is plausible but likely has minimal impact. The lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets is a concern, and the reliance on a single source introduces some uncertainty.
