What’s up EqualityWorx fam? Your home, your heritage, your weather-weather-weather land – is now officially one of the most important digital players in Europe. Yep. We’re not just raising poets or pouring pints – we’re powering the Internet. From memes to midterms, FaceTime to ChatGPT, a staggering amount of the world’s data now moves through over 70 massive data centres dotted across the country, mostly in and around Dublin.
Google, Amazon, Meta, X – the whole tech army – is here. Why? Because we’ve got it all: a super-educated workforce, cool weather, juicy tax breaks, and surprisingly stable electricity. Dublin’s basically Silicon Valley without the palm trees. But here’s what not enough people are saying out loud: yes, tech is changing everything. But at what cost?
The Internet is Thirsty – and It’s Drinking From Your Taps
Let’s talk water. Not the stuff influencers put in pastel-coloured bottles – the actual, literally-life-giving kind. It turns out data centres are parched. Why? These factories of the internet run 24/7, generating huge amounts of heat through their servers. If they overheat, your entire feed goes dark. So they cool themselves – often with chilled water systems that suck up millions of litres every single day to stop the machines melting down.
And guess what? AI makes the problem worse – way worse. With every bold new AI-generating image, writing, and voice, more servers are firing up non-stop. One industry report predicts that AI alone could push data centre water use to 1.7 trillion gallons per year by 2027. That’s not just a climate stat. That’s a future problem with your name on it.
“But It’s Ireland – We’re Fine, Right?”
We get it. Ireland gets rain. Buckets of it. But that doesn’t mean we’re drowning in drinkable water. See, we don’t just scoop water out of the sea. Most of our public supply comes from rivers and reservoirs – and they don’t refill on vibes and drizzle. When hot summers kick in, and rainfall skips town, we already see bans, restrictions, boil notices and price hikes – especially in the east, where most data centres are located. Dublin’s water supply can barely serve its rising population as it is. Now, pile on tech companies quietly using up millions of litres, and local communities are the ones being left dry.
Tech Is Cool. But So Is Having Water in 10 Years
We’re not anti-tech here at EqualityWorx. However, let’s be real – we all use it, build it, share it, stream it. From TikTok to virtual therapy, AI to climate mapping – technology is a game-changer, especially for younger generations like yours. Ireland should lead in innovation, fact. But if we’re building that digital world on weak, unsustainable infrastructure, who benefits? You’ve seen this film before: Mega corporations roll in with buzzwords and cash, local councils say “yes please,” parish politicians say “Our community needs the investment”, environmental impact gets back-burned, and 10 years later, Gen Z is stuck paying the price with broken systems and rising bills. Sound familiar? Tech is good. However, it should never come at the expense of our health, our environment, or our access to basic necessities.
Gen Z: This Is Your Climate Era. Own the Conversation.
Listen, older generations have had their say – often with short-sighted decisions. But Gen Z? You’re built differently. You see the cracks before they widen. You ask better questions. And most importantly: this is your future we’re defending.
You deserve to know:
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Who’s tracking how much water data centres really use?
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Why aren’t councils demanding mandatory transparency before new centres get green-lit?
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Why aren’t you – the student, the coder, the climate activist – involved in these decisions?
Let’s make one thing clear: We live in a democracy, not a dataocracy. Your voice matters. But it only works if you use it.
Solutions Start with Action – Here’s What Needs to Change
It’s not too late. But it will be if decisions keep happening in backrooms while Gen Z waits politely outside. Here’s the roadmap:
- Transparency Now – Require every new data centre to disclose water needs up front. No more corporate smoke and mirrors.
- Stop Approvals Until Water Is Secured
No water, no permit. It’s that simple. Planning boards must tie tech approvals to long-term resource assessments.
Level Up Youth Representation
Put Gen Z with science degrees, activist voices, and climate solutions in the room where it happens. Right now, most of those rooms are 90% suits and 0% students. Tech companies must help upgrade Irish water systems if they want to operate here. No freeloading. No side-stepping. This is a moment of both power and vulnerability for Ireland. You’re on the frontlines of the tech frontier, and what you do next will define not just the country’s economy, but its livability – and its climate reputation.
Yes, Innovation matters. Yes, Progress matters. But ask yourself this: What’s the point of powering the cloud if we can’t even keep our taps running on the ground? And Gen Z – if you don’t ask the tough questions now, no one will later. The future’s digital, yes. But it also has to be drinkable. Got a bold idea to fix Ireland’s priorities? Submit a 300 – 500-word piece at equalityworx.com/submit or drop a TikTok with #EqualityWorxVibe. Tag @EqualityWorx
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