Get Blue: Connecting Data Centre Cooling & Water Stewardship

Digital infrastructure providers face mounting pressure to address water consumption in cooling systems.

A partnership between Ecolab, Amazon, Starbucks, Gap and Water.org through the Get Blue initiative could show how corporate water stewardship extends beyond operational efficiency to community access.

Data centre cooling meets global water access

Get Blue launched in January 2026 as a movement connecting brands, creators, consumers and capital to address water scarcity.

Water.org, the non-profit organisation behind the campaign, aims to reach 200 million people with safe water and sanitation by 2030.

For Ecolab, participation in Get Blue advances its sustainability goals, including managing water use in data centre cooling architectures. Data centres place strain on local watersheds, prompting organisations to reduce power and water consumption.

Ecolab evaluates climate, water availability and local watershed impacts to meet the cooling demands of digital infrastructure. The company works with customers to optimise water use across operations.

Emilio Tenuta, SVP and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab, says on LinkedIn: "Get Blue is designed to enable consumer and B2B companies to treat water as a core operating and market issue – something that is foundational to Ecolab.

"We know that when we help customers use water smarter, we unlock growth, value and impact.

"By joining forces with global leaders to expand access to safe water, we can tackle global water scarcity and strengthen the communities in which we all operate."

Corporate water stewardship model

Water.org launched Get Blue alongside Gap, Amazon, Starbucks and Ecolab, combining their collective impact. The initiative aims to accelerate access to safe water and sanitation through business leadership and funding.

Gary White, CEO and Co-Founder of Water.org, says: "Solving the global water crisis is possible if the business community comes together and focuses on measurable change.

"Water sits at the centre of opportunity in the global economy. Get Blue gives companies a way to lead on an issue their industries depend on and to help scale solutions that are already reaching millions of people who need them.

"This is the kind of leadership required to end the water crisis within our lifetimes."

According to Water.org, the organisation provides communities with access to clean, safe water. Get Blue helps fund access to safe water and sanitation, supporting Water.org's 2030 goal.

Richard Dickson, President and CEO of Gap, says: "At Gap Inc., we bridge gaps to create a better world – and the gap between people who lack access to water, let alone clean water, is far too big.

"Through the launch of Get Blue, we're uniting some of the world's most influential brands behind a shared mission.

"By coming together, we can help make safe water accessible to every person on the planet and demonstrate what's possible when our industry steps up as a force for good."

Consumer engagement in water campaigns

Kara Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at Amazon, says on LinkedIn: "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. 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. According to Kara, every US$5 provides one person with lasting safe water access for more than 20 years.

Kara says: "I've seen firsthand what happens when a family gains access to safe water for the first time. Children go to school. Women reclaim hours of their day. Communities build toward economic opportunity."

Consumers can stream a Get Blue REDISCOVER playlist on Amazon Music. For each listen, Amazon will donate US$1 to Water.org, with more than a dozen global artists committing to the campaign.

Gap released a limited edition Get Blue collection of clothing as part of the campaign. The initiative connects corporate operational water management with consumer-facing engagement to fund community water access projects.