CLIMATE activists slammed the government’s decision to continue with plans to accelerate AI data centre expansion as a new report revealed that most sites in Britain will be built in water-scarce areas.

Environmental charity Global Action Plan found that 84 per cent of all proposed water-intensive data sites will be in these areas, which are either already experiencing water shortages or are projected to by 2040.

The report published on Wednesday accused PM Sir Keir Starmer’s government of putting the interests of Big Tech firms ahead of people, adding that global water demand for these tech hubs is predicted to exceed the amount of water used by all British households next year.

Despite being defined by the Environment Agency as “seriously water-stressed,” Slough has become Europe’s most important hub for data centres with 32 current sites.

A single hyperscale data centre, campaigners say, requires a daily amount of water equivalent to that needed by 10,000 people.

Report co-author Oliver Hayes said: “While households, farmers and local authorities are being urged to reduce water use and prepare for scarcity, the UK government is rolling out the red carpet for one of the most water-intensive industries in the modern world.

“Big tech’s social licence is rapidly evaporating — the prospect of gargantuan chatbot factories monopolising tap water and draining rivers while the rest of us face hosepipe bans and increasing water bills will see it dry up for ever.

“The government must prioritise people over Big Tech profits and put the brakes on its AI agenda until the damaging environmental impacts are addressed and the social usefulness — or otherwise — of this infrastructure is established.”