Amazon: Expanding Data Centre Water Strategies With Get Blue

Data centre operators face mounting pressure to address water consumption alongside energy efficiency as artificial intelligence workloads expand across cloud computing infrastructure. Water use has emerged as a sustainability challenge that could affect both operational resilience and community relations in markets where facilities compete for freshwater resources.

Technology companies are responding by linking water stewardship programmes to broader corporate sustainability strategies. Amazon has connected its data centre operations to external conservation initiatives while implementing efficiency improvements across its facility network.

The intersection of digital infrastructure growth and water resource management has become increasingly relevant as data centre capacity expands to meet demand from cloud computing, machine learning and AI applications. Industry operators are recognising that water stewardship extends beyond facility-level efficiency to encompass broader community impact and resource security.

Water access and digital infrastructure

Amazon has joined Get Blue as a founding partner. The initiative connects corporate sustainability commitments with funding programmes that aim to expand access to safe water in underserved regions.

Get Blue was created alongside Water.org to address water access challenges through cross-sector partnerships.

The coalition launched with Amazon, Gap, Starbucks and Ecolab as founding partners.

Gap introduced a product collection that directs funds to Water.org through purchases.

Starbucks committed donations linked to selected beverage sales.

Ecolab pledged US$1m through the Ecolab Foundation, tied to customer water-saving achievements.

Additional partners including TikTok, Ripple and AccuWeather are expanding campaign reach through creator engagement and digital payments.

According to Water.org, more than 2.1 billion people globally lack access to safe drinking water.

Projections suggest the world could face a 40% freshwater shortfall by 2030.

Water.org has helped more than 92 million people gain access to safe water or sanitation.

Get Blue supports its ambition of reaching 200 million people by the end of the decade.

The partnership model demonstrates how technology infrastructure providers can contribute to water access challenges whilst simultaneously addressing operational water consumption.

This dual approach acknowledges both the direct impact of data centre operations and the broader social responsibility of companies operating global digital infrastructure.

Amazon's water stewardship strategy

Amazon has supported access to safe water or sanitation for more than 1.25 million people through Water.org since 2020.

Customers can contribute through interactions across Amazon's digital ecosystem.

Alexa users can trigger Amazon-funded donations through voice commands.

Amazon Music listeners can generate donations by streaming participating artist playlists.

Dedicated Get Blue storefronts allow customers to support Water.org through selected purchases.

"It's the summer of Get Blue! And I'm genuinely excited to share the ways that everyone reading this can help us support Water.org's life-changing work," writes Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at Amazon, on LinkedIn.

"At Amazon, we've been working on water stewardship for years by reducing water use across our operations, reusing water where we can and funding replenishment projects in communities where we operate. Get Blue doesn't replace any of that work – it's just the logical next step!"

"Alexa+ customers can say 'Alexa, donate to Get Blue' and Amazon contributes US$5 to Water.org on their behalf.

For context, every US$5 provides one person with lasting safe water access for more than 20 years."

Amazon has committed to becoming water positive by 2030, returning more water to communities than its operations consume.

The company is integrating water stewardship into customer engagement as AI workloads and cloud demand accelerate.

The water positive commitment represents a significant operational target for a company operating hundreds of facilities globally.

Achieving this goal requires both reducing direct water consumption through efficiency measures and implementing replenishment projects that restore water to stressed watersheds in regions where Amazon operates data centres and other facilities.

Cooling efficiency in data centres

Hyperscale data centre growth has increased attention to electricity consumption and water use.

Cooling systems remain one of the largest considerations for facilities as processor power requirements increase.

Amazon Web Services has redesigned facility operations to reduce water dependency. Around 90% of the time, Amazon's data centres rely on free-air cooling using outside air instead of water-based systems.

"AWS is now the first cloud provider to show customers exactly how much water we withdraw on their behalf, based on their actual cloud usage," writes Alexis Bateman, Head of Sustainability at AWS, on LinkedIn.

"Today, we're adding that visibility to the AWS Sustainability console. We built it because you can't improve what you can't see and customers told us they wanted the same clarity on water that we provide on carbon. Now they can see both, in the same place."

"Transparency isn't a 'nice-to-have' anymore – it's a prerequisite for building trust."

Water is required during warmer operating conditions, representing roughly 10% of annual cooling needs. According to Amazon, the company has improved water efficiency by more than 50% since 2021.

Water use has decreased to approximately 0.15 litres per kilowatt-hour of computing capacity whilst AI infrastructure expands. Amazon is increasing the use of reclaimed water for cooling operations rather than drawing on potable supplies.

More than two dozen Amazon facilities operate entirely on reclaimed water. More than 130 additional facilities are contracted to adopt similar systems globally.

The shift towards reclaimed water represents an important operational evolution for data centre infrastructure. By utilising treated wastewater that would otherwise be discharged, facilities can reduce pressure on municipal drinking water supplies whilst maintaining cooling effectiveness.

This approach is particularly relevant in water-stressed regions where data centre development intersects with competing demands from residential, agricultural and industrial users.

Operational investments and community impact

Water management forms one part of Amazon's data centre sustainability strategy.

AWS continues investing in renewable energy projects, battery storage and grid modernisation designed to decarbonise electricity supply whilst improving network reliability.

Amazon works with utility providers to develop infrastructure that supports digital demand without disproportionately increasing costs for surrounding communities.

The company says its data centres generate economic benefits through skilled employment, tax revenue, infrastructure investment and STEM education programmes in local communities.

Initiatives such as Get Blue demonstrate how technology companies can address challenges beyond their own operations.

By combining investments in efficient data centres with partnerships that expand global access to safe water, Amazon is positioning sustainability as a component of digital infrastructure development.