AdaniConneX's Vizag data centres to rely on air cooling, curb freshwater use

AdaniConneX, in a joint venture with Google, is constructing two data-centre campuses at Mudasarlova and Tarluvada in Visakhapatnam, targeting a total capacity of about 1 GW. The facilities will employ air-cooling technology, eliminating the need for water-intensive evaporative cooling and keeping total freshwater use across the three sites under the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool. Roughly 80 % of the limited water required will be allocated to landscaping, kitchens and worker amenities, with all wastewater treated on-site and reused, adhering to a zero-discharge policy that prevents release into the Mudasarlova Reservoir.

Industrial water connections will be used instead of municipal supplies, reducing competition with household drinking water and safeguarding the nearby Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary. The project is part of Visakhapatnam’s push to become a major AI and digital-infrastructure hub, alongside investments by Reliance Industries and Bharti Airtel. Environmental activists have raised concerns about the proximity to water sources, but officials argue the design mitigates resource strain.