Like power plants, data centers, with their acres of servers, suck up millions of gallons of water a year for cooling (as an alternative to using electricity-hogging mechanical chillers).

FORBES: Google Greens Up Data Center With Recycled Water For Cooling

Some of the abuses have long been obvious: California's farmers suck up 85% of the state's water at subsidised rates and then grow thirsty crops such as cotton in the desert.

ECONOMIST: California's economy