Data centres can reduce cooling-water demand by measuring water and IT energy consistently, tuning airflow and chilled-water conditions, choosing cooling systems for local water and energy conditions, and assessing reclaimed water where it is suitable. The right approach depends on the site: a system that uses less water may require more electricity, while a closed-loop liquid-cooling circuit does not automatically mean the whole facility uses no water.
Start with a water baseline you can compare
Measure water use alongside IT energy
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (DOE FEMP) defines water usage effectiveness (WUE) as annual site water usage in liters divided by annual IT equipment energy use in kilowatt-hours. In formula form: WUE = annual site water use (L) ÷ annual IT equipment energy use (kWh). State the reporting period and exactly which site water uses are included; a WUE figure is only comparable when its measurement boundary is clear.
Keep the underlying water figures visible as well as the ratio. Water withdrawal describes water taken from a source; water consumption is the portion not returned to that source, for example because it evaporates. A site should make clear which it reports and avoid treating water supplied, water consumed, and WUE as interchangeable measures.
Set the boundary before claiming a reduction
Record the operator, facility or portfolio, location, dates, included water uses, and IT-energy basis. Note whether the figure covers only cooling or other facility uses too. Without that context, a lower ratio or a “zero water” claim can conceal a change in what is counted rather than a genuine reduction in the site’s water impact.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
Reduce avoidable cooling demand in existing facilities
Review airflow and operating conditions
Begin with airflow management, cooling setpoints, and chilled-water temperatures. DOE FEMP says that higher chilled-water temperatures and reduced airflow can reduce chiller energy use and, in turn, the heat that cooling towers must dissipate through evaporation. FEMP reports that these practices can result in 20% less energy consumption at the chiller, citing its Best Practices Guide for Energy-Efficient Data Center Design; the page connects the chiller reduction to lower cooling-tower water demand. This is a cited design-practice figure, not a guaranteed saving for every site.
Facilities engineers should assess changes against the actual operating conditions and reliability requirements of the data centre. The goal is to reduce unnecessary cooling load without compromising safe equipment operation. A chiller-energy improvement may also reduce evaporative heat rejection, but the resulting water change should be measured at the facility rather than assumed from the energy figure alone.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Choose cooling technology for the site, not by a universal ranking
Compare candidate designs against local water availability and stress, seasonal climate, electricity supply, reliability needs, and whether the project is a retrofit or a new build. DOE’s data-centre design guide cautions that no single design is most energy-efficient in every scenario. There is likewise no basis here for a like-for-like ranking of water use across all real facilities.
| Approach | Water implications | Energy and implementation considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling towers and evaporative systems | Evaporation can create substantial on-site water demand. | Can be energy-efficient; performance depends on climate and operating conditions. Consider operational tuning before treating the system as categorically unsuitable. |
| Air-side or mechanical cooling | Depending on the design, can reduce or eliminate direct cooling-water use. | Electricity use may be higher than with evaporative approaches. Compare local energy impacts as well as water demand. |
| Direct-to-chip closed-loop liquid cooling | Microsoft says its newer design recirculates coolant without water evaporation for cooling during normal operation. | Requires compatible servers, racks, cold plates, coolant distribution, and facility heat-rejection design. The IT-side loop does not establish the water use of the whole facility. |
| Reclaimed or recycled water | Can reduce dependence on freshwater where a suitable supply exists. | Requires local availability, treatment, and compatibility with the cooling system; assess watershed and community context. |
Account for the water–energy trade-off
Google says water cooling can reduce data-centre energy use by approximately 10% compared with air cooling in many places. That is Google’s location-dependent comparison, not a universal result or a guarantee for a particular facility. It illustrates why operators should assess water and energy together: reducing cooling-water demand can shift impact to electricity use, and the consequences depend on local conditions.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Assess alternative water sources carefully
Reclaimed or recycled water may reduce reliance on freshwater, but it is not automatically available or suitable. Check the reliability and seasonal availability of local supply, water quality, treatment needs, cooling-system compatibility, and the implications for other local users. Google describes using alternatives to freshwater as part of its water stewardship approach, and Microsoft reports reclaimed and recycled water use in several regions. Those company examples do not establish availability or suitability at another site.
Make closed-loop claims match the system boundary
Microsoft says its newer direct-to-chip cooling design recirculates coolant and uses no water evaporation for cooling during normal operation. That statement describes the operational cooling loop; it does not establish that every data centre uses the design, that no water is used in other facility systems, or that the full lifecycle has no water impact.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
When evaluating liquid cooling, distinguish the recirculating IT-side circuit from the facility’s heat-rejection system. State whether a claim covers normal operation or other conditions, and whether it includes water used elsewhere on site. A loop can avoid routine evaporation while the facility still has water demand outside that loop.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use a practical decision sequence
- Establish the baseline. Record site water use and IT equipment energy over the same reporting period. Define which water uses are included in WUE and distinguish consumption from withdrawal in reporting.
- Find operational opportunities. Review airflow management, setpoints, and chilled-water temperatures with facilities engineers; assess changes against safe operation and reliability needs.
- Compare system options locally. Evaluate seasonal climate, water stress and supply, energy impacts, reliability requirements, and retrofit or build constraints. Do not assume one cooling design is best for every scenario.
- Test alternative-source feasibility. Confirm local reclaimed or recycled water availability, quality, treatment requirements, system compatibility, and community context before relying on it.
- Check the full cooling path. For liquid cooling, trace heat rejection beyond the IT-side loop and identify any water uses outside it before describing the design as water-free.
- Report results with context. Give the operator, location, period, metric definition, and system boundary. Label portfolio claims as company-reported results rather than predictions for another facility.
Interpret company figures as context, not guarantees
Microsoft reported a nearly 90% WUE improvement since its first-generation data centres in the early 2000s. This is a company-reported portfolio comparison, not a sector-wide result or a forecast for a new facility. As with any operator figure, its value for a site decision depends on the metric definition, reporting boundary, location, and period being compared.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsQuick Recap
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
