Mumbai, August 13: Can deleting your old emails and photos really help save water during a drought? That’s the question many have been asking after the UK government’s Environment Agency advised it's citizens to remove old emails to conserve water. The advice came amid the driest six months to July since 1976, with parts of England now officially in drought. Traditional measures like shorter showers, collecting rainwater for gardens, and reducing hosepipe use were also recommended.

According to the agency, the reasoning is tied to data centres, which store online files and can consume large amounts of water for cooling. An Oxford University study notes that a 1-megawatt data centre can use around 26 million litres annually. The suggestion was that less data means less demand on such facilities and, therefore, lower water usage. Fact Check: Did Tesla Cybertruck Get Locked in the Middle of Road? Elon Musk’s Auto Company Calls Viral Video Fake, Says It Doesn’t Remotely Disable Vehicles.

Delete Old Emails and Photos to Save Water, Says UK Government 

UK Government Asks Citizens to Delete Old Emails and Photos to Save Water (Photo Credits: X/ @disclosetv)

However, a fact check shows the reality is quite different. In reality, deleting old emails and photos makes nearly no measurable impact on water conservation. The logic behind the claim is that cloud storage facilities (data centres) require cooling, and some use water-based cooling systems. Less data, in theory, means less demand on these centres. ‘Misleading’: Election Commission on The New York Times Report on Opposition Parties’ Claims Over Voter List Manipulation.

However, experts and data centre professionals point out that the energy and water consumed are due mainly to active computation and high-intensity server tasks (like AI and video processing), not the long-term storage of emails or photos. Storing extra data on modern hard drives requires negligible additional energy or cooling, the drives run whether or not your extra emails are there.

In conclusion, while the idea of deleting old emails and photos to save water may sound innovative, it offers no real benefit to water conservation efforts. The most effective ways to combat the UK’s drought remain the traditional ones, reducing daily water use, following hosepipe bans, and supporting broader sustainability measures.

Fact check

Can Deleting Old Emails and Photos Really Save Water? Know Truth About the UK Government’s Water-Saving Advice
Claim :

Deleting old emails and photos can help save water.

Conclusion :

In reality, deleting digital files has an almost negligible impact on water conservation, with traditional methods like reducing household water use proving far more effective.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 13, 2025 08:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).