Thirsty Data Centers Are Making Hot Summers Even Scarier (2)

For more than a year, Spain has been struggling with drought that has sent water levels in dams below historical averages, prompting local officials to tell residents not to water their gardens and to turn off taps at night to guarantee supply during the day. The situation is particularly hard for farmers. The central region of Castilla La Mancha, which produces a quarter of all Spanish grain, is expected to lose 80% to 90% of this year’s harvest, and water restrictions loom large.

Yet in Talavera de la Reina, a small city tucked among the region’s yellowing barley and ...