In recent times, data centers have been drawing attention for their water usage due to their energy demands. Yet these facilities, which have a tendency to multiply, also consume colossal amounts of water for cooling. In the United States, a satirical advertisement invites urine collection to cool data centers.
Astronomical Water Consumption
First of all, let us note that urine is quite often the subject of scientific research. In 2025, for example, American researchers conducted studies that could eventually allow urine to play a role in the design of medical implants. In 2024, other scientists developed a new urine-management system for astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
And what if urine could also be used to cool data centers? One must say that these facilities, multiplying in recent times with the development of AI, do not solely consume large amounts of electricity. According to estimates, data centers with a 1 MW capacity would need more than 25 million liters of water per year for cooling, equating to the consumption of 300,000 people.
Urine Collection Jars for Data Centers
In the United States, a publicity stunt caused a stir, instigated by the canned-water brand Liquid Death, the beer brand Garage Beer, and former NFL player Jason Kelce. As their campaign “We want your pee” published online shows, the aim is to collect urine from beverage drinkers to cool data centers. Boldly colored, the campaign features a product for sale: a glass jar named “Liquid Death x Garage Beer Data Center Cooling Liquid Collector,” priced at $763.
“Sending your urine to AI data centers has never been easier thanks to these limited-edition sealable jars. Fill them and send them to the data center of your choice. They also work for enjoying your favorite drink.”, can be read on the page.
A joke that lands sourly
Not surprisingly, the campaign is just a broad joke. Indeed, the brands are not actually inviting their customers to produce as much urine as possible with their drinks to send it to data centers for cooling. Moreover, a small humorous line at the bottom of the video reminds that it is strictly forbidden and totally illegal to mail urine. The campaign in question is therefore a satire aimed at criticizing the consumption of drinking water by the tech giants to cool the infrastructure essential to AI.
In a TechCrunch article published on August 20, 2026, the publication did question an expert about the possibility of using urine to cool data centers. Bruno Pigott, executive director of the WaterReuse association advocating water recycling, stated that such “brute” use would not be viable. Indeed, urine contains salts, urea, bacteria, and various organic substances that could leave deposits. Thus, pouring urine into a cooling tower would entail constant cleaning.
On the other hand, the expert stated that it is entirely possible to recycle urine into water to cool the installations. This industrial solution, involving filtration by biological membranes, the reverse osmosis technique, and disinfection by ultraviolet rays, already exists, since it has long been used for recycling various wastewater.
