Water Authority Plans for Data Center Demand in Eastern Special Zone
Thailand's Royal Irrigation Department is planning water infrastructure to support data centers in the Eastern Economic Corridor, which could demand up to 60 million cubic meters annually, though current supplies remain balanced.
The Royal Irrigation Department is developing a water management plan to support data center investments in Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), projected to use approximately 60 million cubic meters of water annually. Witthaya Kaewmee, Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department, stated that current water demand and available supply in the EEC remain balanced, but the department must monitor new economic activities and investments that could change water requirements from original plans to prepare for future needs.
Data centers represent a new business sector that was not heavily calculated in existing plans. The department has compiled investment data from the Board of Investment and preliminarily estimates that water demand from data centers in the EEC will increase by approximately 60 million cubic meters per year, incorporating this into advanced water management planning.
Kaewmee noted that these figures represent preparatory assessments for future investment and are not currently a concern, as water demand and available supply in the EEC remain balanced. However, if additional investments increase water demand, the department may need to develop infrastructure and enhance the capacity to bring water into the system to ensure water security in industrial areas. Other regions currently lack sufficient data to clearly assess data center water demands, and the department is analyzing information to determine what additional preparations are necessary. The National Water Resources Office is also evaluating the situation with management officials.
Beyond industrial water demand, the Irrigation Department must also consider agricultural and domestic consumption needs, as well as monitor new city development that may occur in the EEC to incorporate potential increased water needs into planning. Kaewmee stated that new forms of economic activity and investment occurring beyond the original 20-year long-term plan must be calculated in advance to assess whether existing water sources and systems can support them adequately. If capacity exists, appropriate management plans will be developed; if additional capacity is needed, contingency plans will be prepared to maintain balance between water demand and available supply in the EEC.
