23/07/2026
HIDDEN COST đź’§
AI data centers do not only need electricity. They also need water to keep servers cool.
As the Philippines prepares to host an AI-native industrial hub under the Pax Silica initiative in New Clark City, Tarlac, questions are now being raised about how much water large-scale AI infrastructure could require once built.
The planned site has been described in public documents as a 4,000-acre area, or roughly 1,619 hectares, within New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
BCDA said the hub is expected to focus on AI computing infrastructure, data centers, advanced digital infrastructure, semiconductor supply chains, and other high-tech activities.
Based on estimates being raised in public discussions, AI data centers in the proposed hub could require around 5 to 20 million gallons of water per day, depending on the scale, cooling system, and final design of the facilities.
That figure is not yet an official confirmed water-use number for the project, but it points to a bigger question: can the Philippines build major AI data centers without putting added pressure on local water systems?
Researchers have warned that data centers can place major stress on public water systems, especially during hotter days when cooling demand rises.
As the Philippines pushes to become a regional AI hub, transparency on water use, environmental safeguards, and community impact should be part of the conversation from the start.
