MOSL has responded to the Environmental Audit Committee’s recent call for evidence as part of its new inquiry on environmental impacts, risks and opportunities to the sustainability of data centres in the UK.

The EAC’s inquiry considers how growth in data centres may affect infrastructure and the environment, and how policy and planning can support sustainable development of the sector.

MOSL’s response is focused on the implications for water resources and the role of clear, sector-specific data in supporting effective market planning and sustainable growth. The response draws on the existing evidence base, including the recently published Water Efficient Data Centres report, to support MOSL’s key messages.

The key messages are:

• Long‑term planning, including through Water Resource Management Plans, is needed to ensure future data centre water demand is accounted for and resilience measures are in place.
• Critical National Infrastructure status risks reducing consideration of sustainability at development stage, reinforcing the importance of embedding resilience early in design.
• Improved analysis of sector‑specific water use is needed to support targeted interventions and policy planning, including through MOSL’s industry segmentation work.
• We support data centres using alternative cooling approaches, including non‑potable options where feasible.
• We look forward to working with government, including through this inquiry, to ensure evidence‑driven insights inform policy development and long‑term resilience planning.

Click here to read MOSL's response in full