Water treatment firm Gradiant has been awarded a contract to design and deliver a water treatment facility for a planned hyperscale data center in Didcot, South Oxfordshire, UK, located on the site of a former coal power station.

The system will cover water treatment, recycling, and zero liquid discharge, with the aim of supporting cooling operations while reducing overall water use and environmental impact. The contract reflects growing pressure on data center operators to secure reliable water resources as demand for AI infrastructure increases.

Gradiant said that it will take responsibility for water performance across the site, integrating treatment and reuse into a single system rather than treating water as a standalone utility.

“This project reflects how we combine deep regional expertise with Gradiant’s global technology platform to deliver critical infrastructure with confidence,” said Philipp Sausele, managing director of Gradiant Europe. “Our teams understand the local regulatory, environmental, and operational landscape, while leveraging proven solutions deployed worldwide. That balance of global strength and local focus is what enables us to execute reliably at scale.”

“AI is driving one of the largest infrastructure buildouts in history, and water is quickly becoming the limiting factor,” said Prakash Govindan, CEO of Gradiant. “At Gradiant, we are building the water backbone for the next generation of industry. This project reflects our strategy to partner with leading infrastructure players to deliver resilient, sustainable solutions where reliability is non-negotiable.”

The Didcot plot is located at the site of a former coal plant. A combined coal and oil power plant, Didcot A opened in 1970, but was demolished between 2014 and 2020. At its peak, it was capable of generating 1,440MW.