Water, not fire

The article, written by Nohsok Choi, former chief editor of Kyunghyang Shinmun, argues that water has become a potent weapon in modern warfare, as evidenced by recent attacks on desalination facilities in the Middle East. It warns that countries facing water scarcity may be incentivized to target rivals' water infrastructure. Beyond military conflict, the piece emphasizes the growing demand for water by AI data centers, which are described as "water hippos" due to their massive cooling requirements. It cites examples of protests in Malaysia's Johor state over water shortages caused by hyperscale data center expansion, partly a consequence of Singapore's 2019 halt on new data center development due to power and water concerns. The article also highlights similar water conflicts related to data centers in other regions, including a Google data center in Chile, which faced protests during a decade-long drought. In the US, a Google facility in Mesa, Arizona, stirred public anger over its permit allowing up to 15 million liters of water per day, comparable to the daily consumption of thousands of residents. The European Commission has also designated data centers as a major concern regarding water use. In this context, the article notes that South Korea, with its advanced desalination technology, is positioned as a potential solution provider should a severe global water crisis materialize. The author concludes by stating that while data centers run on electricity, they cannot function without the vast quantities of water needed for cooling, making water a defining factor in future critical infrastructure battles.