Amazon has announced updates to its global water conservation efforts, including new projects in Indiana, expanded recycled-water use in data centers, and initiatives aimed at reducing its overall water footprint and addressing scarcity. These developments were detailed in a recent press release.
According to Amazon's official sustainability update, the company is combining internal operational efficiency, particularly within its data centers, with external community partnerships for water replenishment and restoration. The update emphasizes that beyond merely reducing onsite water use, Amazon is investing in innovations to tackle global water scarcity. This approach positions water stewardship as a crucial component of Amazon's broader sustainability agenda and community impact efforts.
Per the announcement, Amazon has launched two projects in Indiana: one employing AI-driven precision irrigation in the Kankakee Aquifer region to assist farmers in optimizing water use, and another establishing a "Smart Wetland" in the Kankakee River Watershed to naturally remove nutrients and enhance water quality. These initiatives are expected to conserve or improve the quality of at least 100 million gallons of water annually. The projects align with Amazon's goal of becoming "water positive" by 2030—meaning returning more water to communities than it consumes.
The sustainability update further states that Amazon has over 30 water replenishment projects globally, which are anticipated to return more than 14 billion liters of water annually to communities once completed. Additionally, Amazon reports that its global water-use efficiency for data centers has improved by 40% since 2021, achieving 0.15 liters per kilowatt-hour. In the Indiana region specifically, its standard design will use water for less than 2% of the year due to outside-air cooling. These figures highlight both Amazon’s internal operational advancements and its external investments in community-scale water resilience.
Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Seattle, Amazon is a global technology and logistics company whose operations include e-commerce, cloud computing via Amazon Web Services (AWS), media, devices, and transportation networks. The company integrates large-scale infrastructure with targeted sustainability initiatives—such as water conservation, recycled-water cooling, and community water-replenishment programs—to align its operations with environmental and social impact goals.