Amazon's data centers used 2.5 billion gallons of water last year

Overview

Amazon disclosed for the first time how much water its data centers consume, reporting 2.5 billion gallons globally in 2025 at a rate of 0.12 liters per kilowatt-hour of electricity. The company says it cut water use by 2 percent at sites it owns and operates versus 2024 even while expanding, and it claims to run more water-efficiently than Microsoft, Google, and Meta. The disclosure landed days after Seattle passed a one-year data center moratorium, an effort some Amazon employees supported.

Key Takeaways

Amazon released its annual data center water use for what it says is the first time, reporting 2.5 billion gallons consumed in 2025.
The company reports a water rate of 0.12 liters per kilowatt-hour and claims that is roughly seven times more efficient than the industry average of 0.84 liters per kilowatt-hour.
Amazon says it cut water use by 2 percent at facilities it directly owns and operates compared with 2024, even as its global footprint grew.
The reported figures exclude indirect water used at power plants supplying electricity and water tied to new data center construction.
Amazon cools its servers with air about 90 percent of the time and turns to evaporative water cooling mainly during the hottest hours of the hottest days.
The disclosure followed Seattle enacting a one-year data center moratorium that some Amazon employees pushed for.

Stats & Key Facts

#2.5 billion gallons of water used by Amazon data centers globally in 2025
#0.12 liters of water per kilowatt-hour, Amazon's reported 2025 efficiency rate
#2 percent decrease in water use at owned and operated sites versus 2024
#7 times more water-efficient than the industry average, per Amazon's claim
#52 percent improvement in water efficiency since its 2021 baseline of 0.25 liters per kilowatt-hour
#42 percent year-over-year water reduction in the Northern Virginia region
#26 facilities running on 100 percent reclaimed water, with 130 more contracted
#75 percent of the way to a water positive goal set for 2030

Amazon's data centers used 2.5 billion gallons of water last year

What Amazon's 2.5 Billion Gallon Water Disclosure Reveals

The headline number is large, but Amazon frames it alongside an efficiency rate it wants readers to focus on.

Amazon reported that its global data center operations consumed about 2.5 billion gallons of water in 2025. The company says this is the first time it has shared a total water figure for its data centers, putting it years behind rivals that began disclosing water data around 2020.

Alongside the volume, Amazon reported a water rate of 0.12 liters per kilowatt-hour of electricity. Tying water to energy use lets the company point to efficiency rather than raw consumption, a framing one AWS executive described by saying total volumes are 'just big numbers.'

Notably, Amazon says water use at sites it owns and operates fell 2 percent from 2024 even as it built out more capacity. In the Northern Virginia region, a dense data center hub, it reported a 42 percent year-over-year reduction.

How Amazon Stacks Up Against Microsoft, Google, and Meta

Amazon used the report to position itself ahead of other Big Tech operators, though the comparison comes with caveats.

›A graphic in Amazon's report shows Microsoft, Google, and Meta each using more water per kilowatt-hour than Amazon over recent years.
›Google appears to use the most by far, but the cited Google data looks specific to its Gemini AI data centers rather than all operations, unlike Amazon's company-wide total.
›Amazon claims its data centers are roughly seven times more water-efficient than the industry average of 0.84 liters per kilowatt-hour.
›Google, Meta, and Microsoft have published water data since at least 2020, well before Amazon's first disclosure.
›Only Google and Meta provide municipality-level breakdowns, and only after operations begin.

Air Cooling and Evaporative Water Use in Amazon Data Centers

The efficiency claim rests largely on how Amazon cools its servers.

Amazon says its data centers rely on free air cooling about 90 percent of the time, drawing in outside air rather than spending water to shed heat. Evaporative water cooling kicks in for roughly the remaining 10 percent, mainly during the hottest hours of the hottest days when ambient temperatures climb.

The company also raised the heat tolerance of its servers so they run safely at higher temperatures. That change reduces the number of hours water cooling is needed. Amazon compares evaporative cooling to sweating, where evaporation pulls heat away.

The company reports a 52 percent efficiency gain since 2021, when its rate stood at 0.25 liters per kilowatt-hour, down to 0.12 liters per kilowatt-hour in 2025.

What the Water Figures Leave Out

Independent observers flagged gaps that make the total an undercount of Amazon's true water footprint.

›The data excludes indirect water consumed at power plants that generate the electricity Amazon's data centers run on.
›It also leaves out water tied to building new data centers.
›Reporting notes Meta is the only major operator disclosing indirect water consumption, underscoring the gap.
›A January study from a Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam researcher, which informed the industry-average benchmark, called for operators to urgently disclose more granular water and energy data.

The Seattle Moratorium and Pressure on Data Center Growth

The timing of the disclosure connects to rising local resistance to data center expansion.

Amazon shared its water data shortly after Seattle enacted a one-year moratorium on new data centers, a measure some of Amazon's own employees supported. Water and energy use have become central to local debates over where and whether to build new facilities.

The disclosure reads partly as a response to that scrutiny. By leading with an efficiency rate and water replenishment commitments, Amazon aims to reassure communities and regulators weighing the resource costs of nearby data centers.

Across the industry, the AI buildout has intensified these debates. Local officials in places like Indiana and Washington state have publicly clashed over the strain large facilities place on water and power.

Amazon's Water Replenishment and Reclaimed Water Commitments

The company paired its usage report with goals meant to offset its draw on local supplies.

›Amazon says it is 75 percent of the way to a goal of becoming water positive by 2030.
›In 2025 it returned roughly 3 gallons of water for every 4 it used.
›It has announced more than 50 water replenishment projects expected to return over 5.8 billion gallons annually once fully implemented.
›It operates 26 facilities on 100 percent reclaimed water, with 130 more under contract globally.
›New reclaimed water programs are launching in communities including Mississippi, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much water did Amazon's data centers use in 2025?

Amazon reported that its global data center operations consumed about 2.5 billion gallons of water in 2025. The company says this is the first time it has publicly shared a total water figure for its data centers.

Is Amazon really more water-efficient than Microsoft, Google, and Meta?

Amazon claims it is, citing a rate of 0.12 liters per kilowatt-hour versus higher rates for its rivals. The comparison has caveats, since the Google data appears limited to Gemini AI data centers while Amazon reports across all operations.

What does Amazon's water figure leave out?

The 2.5 billion gallon total excludes indirect water used at the power plants supplying electricity to the data centers, as well as water tied to constructing new facilities. That makes the reported number an undercount of Amazon's full water footprint.

How does Amazon keep its data center water use down?

Amazon says it uses air cooling about 90 percent of the time and turns to evaporative water cooling mainly during the hottest hours of the hottest days. It also raised its servers' heat tolerance to cut the hours water cooling is needed.

Why did Amazon release this data now?

The disclosure came shortly after Seattle passed a one-year data center moratorium that some Amazon employees supported. Water and energy use have become focal points in local fights over new data center construction.

Amazon's first public water report puts a hard number on its data center footprint while making the case that its cooling methods keep that draw efficient. The figures still omit indirect and construction-related water, leaving room for scrutiny as the AI buildout fuels local resistance.