AdaniConneX and Google unveiled on Thursday a plan to erect three data‑centre campuses in Visakhapatnam that will rely on air‑cooling technology instead of conventional evaporative towers, slashing freshwater consumption to under the volume of an Olympic‑sized swimming pool.
Conventional data‑centres draw millions of litres of water daily to keep servers cool; the proposed design substitutes large cooling towers with computer‑controlled fans and chilled‑air exchangers, eliminating the need for water‑intensive evaporative systems.
Only about 20% of the minimal water required across the sites will serve cooling; the remaining 80% will sustain landscaping, kitchens and staff facilities, with almost all of it recycled on‑site.
The project will treat every drop of domestic wastewater at a dedicated sewage plant and reuse it for irrigation, ensuring zero discharge into the Mudasarlova Reservoir, the city’s primary drinking source, and safeguarding the adjacent Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary.
Visakhapatnam’s IT minister Nara Lokesh defended the initiative, arguing that the state’s 3 TMC‑per‑year water requirement for a 6.5 GW expansion is manageable; environmental groups, however, remain wary of the reservoir’s proximity.
AdaniConneX plans to secure the final approvals from the Andhra Pradesh government in the coming weeks, with construction slated to begin in early 2026, setting the stage for a new wave of AI‑driven infrastructure in the region.