Regional projections for 2030 based on current trajectory. Severity score combines water stress, grid strain, and share of regional resources consumed.
Moderate stress
High stress
Severe stress
Critical / sacrifice zone
Sources: IEA Energy and AI Report (2025), Houston Advanced Research Center (Texas), UC Riverside Ren et al. (US water demand), Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Brookings Institution. Severity scoring combines projected 2030 water consumption, percentage of regional electricity grid consumed by data centers, and pre-existing water stress in the region.