Amazon says its data centers are more than 7 times as water-efficient as the industry average, and it is closing in on a “water positive” goal

Amazon says its data centers are “over 7x more water-efficient than the industry average,” attributing the gap largely to the way most cooling is handled. The company says its facilities use air cooling for most of the year, switching to water cooling primarily during the hottest days, when air systems alone are less effective at removing heat.

The company framed the improvements as part of a long-running effort to reduce water intensity and to shift from simply consuming less water to giving more back. Amazon said it is “75% of the way” to a goal of being water positive by 2030, meaning that for every gallon used in data center operations, it will return more than a gallon back to communities where it operates.

Amazon provided a midpoint of progress and examples of scale. It said that in 2025 it returned 3 gallons for every 4 gallons it used. In the same update, the company said it has announced more than 50 water projects expected to return more than 5.8 billion gallons annually once they are fully implemented.

A centerpiece of Amazon’s approach is what it uses, not just when it uses it. The company said it uses reclaimed water, which it described as water that would otherwise have been wasted or unusable, across more buildings than any other company. Reclaimed water typically comes from treated sources that can be reused for non-potable needs, reducing reliance on fresh water supplies.

Amazon also described its role as broader than on-site water management. It said it is helping communities develop reclaimed water programs from the ground up, aiming to create the infrastructure and permitting pathways needed for reuse at the local level. That approach matters, the company’s update suggests, because reclaimed water availability can be constrained by regional regulations and existing water systems.

While Amazon did not disclose additional details in the update about the locations, sizes, or specific engineering designs behind individual projects, it emphasized that the overall portfolio is large. The company’s focus on announced projects implies a pipeline extending beyond current operations, with benefits expected after construction and commissioning are completed.

The update also ties into operational choices that can influence both water use and energy demand. Air cooling for most of the year can reduce the need for evaporative or water-intensive cooling methods, but it is heavily dependent on climate, humidity, and site conditions. By shifting water use primarily to peak heat periods, Amazon appears to be balancing performance needs with water constraints.

Beyond water, Amazon’s sustainability messaging in the same newsroom package referenced other technology and production initiatives, including its Leo satellite mission updates and an agreement with Corning intended to boost U.S. fiber optics manufacturing and create advanced manufacturing jobs in North Carolina. Those items were not connected directly to water efficiency in the water-focused release, but they underscore that Amazon is positioning sustainability and infrastructure buildout as part of the same broader modernization agenda.

Even with the broad claims and quantified milestones, some important specifics remain unclear from the information provided in the update. Amazon did not provide the precise methodology behind the “7x” comparison to the industry average, nor did it specify which peer set, metrics, climate normalization, or time window were used. The company also did not break down how the 5.8 billion gallons figure maps to particular project types, geographies, or timelines, beyond saying the projects are expected to return that volume once fully implemented. As a result, readers may want to look for later reporting or independent verification to understand how the comparisons are calculated.

Going forward, investors, customers, and regulators may focus on whether Amazon can sustain the 2025 return ratio, how it measures reclaimed water use across growing capacity, and whether the announced water projects are delivered on schedule. The company’s 2030 water-positive target makes the execution timeline a key variable, particularly in regions where water availability and permitting requirements may change. The next question is not only whether the systems stay efficient, but whether the reclaimed water pipeline and community-return outcomes scale with data center expansion.