Early in Fall, 2026, Water@UW-Madison endeavored to begin to shed light on the connections between new technologies and water supply, hydrology, water quality, public perception and other factors.
Rapid technological change may be the defining characteristic of the modern era. The development and intensification of new and enhanced technological systems has led to the proliferation of tools that are finding increasingly numerous and varied applications. The demand and capacity for computing power is increasing, and the resulting rapid buildout of hyperscale digital infrastructure in the midwest may be the most significant industrial transformation in generations. New technologies have the potential to enhance, advance, and accelerate the work we do. At the same time, the past has taught us that advancements are usually not without tradeoffs and often come with hidden costs. While data centers have long been a part of contemporary life, the scale of the technological infrastructure necessary to meet increasing demand raises new questions about what we know about their environmental effects, cumulative impacts, and long-term connections to quality of life. Communities have similar questions, and are in need of information about what we can expect with respect to the impacts on climate, water and environmental sustainability.
Water@UW-Madison is an interdisciplinary community of practice connecting hundreds of faculty working in water research across campus. We have always understood water challenges to be complex and interconnected. Addressing the water impacts associated with data centers requires navigating manifold realities and multi-layered uncertainties. Interdisciplinary groups are in an excellent position to navigate new complex landscapes. Early in Fall, 2026, Water@UW-Madison endeavored to begin to shed light on the connections between new technologies and water supply, hydrology, water quality, public perception and other factors.
The Water and Data Centers Collaboration Workshop took place on September 23, 2026 at Memorial Union on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The event attracted 47 participants, including faculty, staff, and graduate students. This event was organized and planned by the Water@UW-Madison Collaborative Initiatives Committee with the goal of cultivating collaborative relationships between interdisciplinary experts interested in understanding water-related issues tied to data center development.
Agenda
