Amazon Data Centers Withdrew 2.5 Billion Gallons Globally in 2025

Amazon reported that its data centers withdrew about 2.5 billion gallons of water globally in 2025, according to a Thursday blog post addressing concerns about AI infrastructure's water consumption. The disclosure comes as data centers face scrutiny over resource usage for evaporative cooling systems. While the figure appears substantial in isolation, it represents a fraction of the 117 trillion gallons of water withdrawn in the US alone in 2015, according to USGS data, and remains significantly smaller than water usage in sectors such as landscaping, agriculture, and recreation.

Amazon Reports 2.5 Billion Gallons Withdrawn in 2025

In the Thursday blog post, Amazon stated its data centers withdrew "about 2.5 billion gallons" globally in 2025. The company's disclosure provides the first public accounting of its water usage across its data center operations. The figure covers water withdrawn for cooling systems that support AI and cloud computing infrastructure.

The reported usage compares to 117 trillion gallons of water withdrawn in the US in 2015, according to USGS data. Additional comparisons include 3.3 trillion gallons used annually on US lawns and landscaping, 1.3 trillion gallons per year used in California almond orchards, and 531 billion gallons per year used for US golf courses.

Industry Peers Disclose Similar Water Usage Figures

Google data centers withdrew more than 6.1 billion gallons of water in 2024, according to the company's 2025 environmental report. Microsoft data centers withdrew about 2.75 billion gallons in 2024, as reported by The New York Times. Meta data centers withdrew about 1.4 billion gallons in 2024, according to the company's 2025 Environmental Data Index.

US Data Centers Consumed 163 Billion Gallons in 2021 Study

A 2021 Nature study estimated that all US data centers combined consumed about 163 billion gallons of water that year. The figure includes "indirect" consumption from non-renewable power sources. One analysis estimates that Texas data centers used 25 to 49 billion gallons in 2024, with projections indicating potential growth to 399 billion gallons withdrawn in 2030.

FAQ

How much water did Amazon data centers use in 2025?

Amazon reported its data centers withdrew about 2.5 billion gallons of water globally in 2025, according to a Thursday blog post. This figure covers water used for evaporative cooling systems across the company's global data center operations.

How does data center water usage compare to other industries?

Data center water usage remains significantly smaller than other sectors. US lawns and landscaping use 3.3 trillion gallons annually, California almond orchards use 1.3 trillion gallons per year, and US golf courses use 531 billion gallons per year. Amazon's 2.5 billion gallons represents a small fraction of the 117 trillion gallons withdrawn in the US in 2015.