9,000,000,000 litres! That's how much water Amazon used last year
Despite using a massive amount of water, Amazon claims that it is becoming more efficient with its water use, compared to its competitors.
- Jun 12, 2026,
- Updated Jun 12, 2026 4:04 PM IST
Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes with hidden environmental costs beyond electricity, chips, and other computing power. Amazon Inc reportedly used 2.5 billion gallons (about 9.46 billion litres) of water worldwide last year, reflecting how vast resources are required to run the data centres powering today's digital economy.
Despite using a massive amount of water, Amazon claims that it is becoming more efficient with its water use, compared to its competitors. The company claims it reduced its water usage by 2% compared with 2024, despite the data centre footprint, highlighting that it is more efficient in how it uses water.
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The company shared a blog post revealing how much water its data centres use relative to the electricity they consume. Its data centres used 0.12 litres of water for every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed in 2025. This was lower than the figures reported by Microsoft, Google, and Meta.
Amazon highlighted that it does not use water for cooling. Instead, they rely on outside air to keep servers from overheating. The company said it uses a method called free air cooling. The data centre pulls cool air from outside, passes it through the servers and absorbs the heat they generate. The warmer air is then expelled back outdoors. Because the process relies on natural airflow rather than water-based cooling systems, it does not require water to operate.
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Joern Tinnemeyer, a data centre engineering leader at Amazon, said, “It's kind of like in your house.”
“It's a nice summer morning. It's not that hot out. I'm gonna open up my windows rather than turn the air conditioner on, and just let the breeze pull through,” he added. Amazon further highlighted that it plans to be water positive by 2030 and claims that it is already about 75% of the way there.
Amazon isn't the only tech company facing questions about water usage, as its data centres consume. Governments, communities and activists are increasingly pushing for greater transparency from the entire industry.
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FAQs
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Why is AI linked to high water usage in data centres?
AI workloads run on large data centres that need huge amounts of electricity and infrastructure. Along with power and chips, these facilities also use significant water directly or indirectly to support cooling and operations.
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How much water did Amazon reportedly use worldwide last year?
Amazon reportedly used 2.5 billion gallons of water globally last year, which is about 9.46 billion litres. This highlights the large environmental footprint behind the digital economy and AI-related computing.
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Has Amazon improved its water efficiency despite expanding data centres?
Yes, Amazon said it reduced its water usage by 2% compared with 2024, even as its data centre footprint grew. The company says this shows it is becoming more efficient in how it uses water.
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How do Amazon data centres cool servers without using water-based systems?
Amazon said it mainly uses free air cooling, where cool outside air is brought in, passed through servers to absorb heat, and then released back outside. Because this method relies on natural airflow, it does not need water to operate.
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What is Amazon’s water efficiency figure and future water goal?
Amazon said its data centres used 0.12 litres of water for every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed in 2025, which it claims is lower than Microsoft, Google and Meta. The company also aims to become water positive by 2030 and says it is already around 75% of the way there.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes with hidden environmental costs beyond electricity, chips, and other computing power. Amazon Inc reportedly used 2.5 billion gallons (about 9.46 billion litres) of water worldwide last year, reflecting how vast resources are required to run the data centres powering today's digital economy.
Despite using a massive amount of water, Amazon claims that it is becoming more efficient with its water use, compared to its competitors. The company claims it reduced its water usage by 2% compared with 2024, despite the data centre footprint, highlighting that it is more efficient in how it uses water.
Must read: Good news for ChatGPT users! OpenAI may slash prices to take on Anthropic
The company shared a blog post revealing how much water its data centres use relative to the electricity they consume. Its data centres used 0.12 litres of water for every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed in 2025. This was lower than the figures reported by Microsoft, Google, and Meta.
Amazon highlighted that it does not use water for cooling. Instead, they rely on outside air to keep servers from overheating. The company said it uses a method called free air cooling. The data centre pulls cool air from outside, passes it through the servers and absorbs the heat they generate. The warmer air is then expelled back outdoors. Because the process relies on natural airflow rather than water-based cooling systems, it does not require water to operate.
Must read: 'We should do everything we can to prevent it': Anthropic CEO Dario Amodai on AI job losses
Joern Tinnemeyer, a data centre engineering leader at Amazon, said, “It's kind of like in your house.”
“It's a nice summer morning. It's not that hot out. I'm gonna open up my windows rather than turn the air conditioner on, and just let the breeze pull through,” he added. Amazon further highlighted that it plans to be water positive by 2030 and claims that it is already about 75% of the way there.
Amazon isn't the only tech company facing questions about water usage, as its data centres consume. Governments, communities and activists are increasingly pushing for greater transparency from the entire industry.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine