WUE (water usage effectiveness)
Water usage effectiveness is a metric developed by The Green Grid that divides a data center’s annual site water use by the energy used by its IT equipment, expressed in liters per kilowatt-hour. Lower values mean less water consumed per unit of computing. Cooling design and climate drive WUE, and it is often weighed against PUE because water-saving cooling can use more energy.
The full guide · Water, gas & fiberData Center Water Requirements and Cooling ChoicesHow much water a data center needs depends on its cooling design. Learn the main cooling options, WUE, water sources, wastewater and how to screen a site.Where WUE comes up
- Campus design & constructionWater Usage Effectiveness (WUE): How Data Center Water Use Is Measured
- Campus design & constructionPUE Explained: Data Center Power Usage Effectiveness, Averages and Climate
- Water, gas & fiberClosed-Loop and Waterless Data Center Cooling: What It Means for a Site
- Site strategy by data center typeHigh-Density GPU Racks: What 120 kW+ Racks Ask of a Data Center Site
- Water, gas & fiberReclaimed Water for Data Center Cooling
- Campus design & constructionData Center Cooling Plant and Equipment Yard Space: Chillers, Dry Coolers and Cooling Towers
- Zoning, permitting & communityState Data Center Legislation: 2025–2026 Trends in Tariffs, Incentives, Water and Moratoriums
- Site selection by stateData Center Site Selection in Nevada: NV Energy, Reno and Las Vegas, Water Rules and GOED Abatements