The National Drought Group (NDG), an environmental organization in the UK, has warned that data centres are putting a strain on the country's water supplies. This is also a concern in many other countries. The group did not indicate to what degree these facilities are contributing to drought conditions in many parts of the UK. It is estimated that the centres use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to cool their giant facilities. One water company reported that a large data centre can use as much water as 50,000 households. Despite concerns from environmentalists, the UK is pushing ahead to build many more data centres. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said they were essential for economic growth.
英國環境組織「國家乾旱小組」（NDG）警告，資料中心正對該國供水系統造成沉重壓力，此現象亦成為多國關注焦點。該組織雖未明確指出這些設施對英國多地乾旱狀況的具體影響程度，但估算全境資料中心每年耗費高達100億升水資源用於冷卻龐大設備。據供水公司報告，單一大型資料中心的耗水量相當於5萬戶家庭的總用水量。儘管環保人士憂心忡忡，英國仍持續推動興建更多資料中心。副首相安吉拉·雷納強調，資料中心對經濟成長至關重要，並稱政府將要求新設資料中心「展現用水效率領導地位」，同時確保「與社區共享節水效益」。
The NDG has urged Britons to take measures to cut back on their water consumption. One such measure is to trash unwanted emails and large images. The group claims this will lessen the demand for water. A government website suggested deleting old emails and pictures "as data centres require vast amounts of water to cool their systems". NDG chairperson Helen Wakeham said a simple everyday action such as tidying up one's inbox and spam and trash folders will "really help the collective effort to reduce demand and help preserve the health of our rivers and wildlife". However, it is likely that the water saved from people deleting files stored in the cloud is merely a drop in the ocean.
英國國家乾旱小組（NDG）呼籲民眾採取措施減少用水消耗，其中一項建議是清理不必要的電子郵件與大型圖像檔案。該組織主張此舉能降低對水資源的需求，政府官網更明確指出：「因資料中心需消耗大量水冷卻系統，刪除舊郵件與照片有助節水。」NDG主席海倫·韋克漢表示，日常簡單動作如整理收件匣、垃圾郵件和垃圾桶資料夾，將「實質助力集體節水行動，維護河流與野生生態健康」。然而，民眾刪除雲端檔案所能節省的水量，恐怕僅是杯水車薪。
Vocabulary 單字
•Drought (n.): Long period with no rain.
•Strain (n.): Pressure, heavy demand.
•Facilities (n.): Buildings for a specific use.
•Consumption (n.): Using up a resource.
•Urged (v.): Strongly advised.
•Vast (adj.): Very large.
•Collective (adj.): Shared by a group.
•Preserve (v.): Protect, maintain.
•Merely (adv.): Only, just.
•Drop in the ocean (idiom): Tiny, insignificant amount.
