Amazon has finally disclosed its annual water usage data, asserting that its operations demonstrate superior efficiency compared to its industry peers.
This disclosure follows Seattle's implementation of a one-year moratorium on data center construction, a measure reportedly advocated by some of Amazon's own staff. Amid growing scrutiny over water and energy consumption in the ongoing discussions surrounding new AI data center developments, Amazon revealed that its global data center operations utilized 2.5 billion gallons of water in 2025. This translates to a consumption rate of 0.12 liters per kilowatt-hour of electricity, marking a two percent reduction from its 2024 total, even as the company expanded its operational footprint.
Furthermore, Amazon contends that its water usage efficiency surpasses that of several major technology competitors. A graphic featured in Amazon's report highlights data from Microsoft, Google, and Meta, indicating that each of these companies consumed more water per kilowatt-hour compared to Amazon over the preceding years.
While Google registered the highest consumption, it's important to note that the cited data for Google reportedly pertained specifically to its Gemini AI data centers, whereas Amazon's figures encompass all of its operational facilities. Additionally, Amazon's reported water usage does not incorporate indirect consumption, such as water utilized by power plants generating electricity for its data centers, or water expended during new data center construction.
Regarding its cooling strategies, Amazon states that its data centers employ air cooling approximately 90 percent of the time, reserving evaporative water cooling for "the hottest hours of the hottest days." The company also emphasizes its practice of enhancing servers' heat tolerances. Based on an adjusted metric derived from a peer-reviewed research paper published last year, Amazon asserts that its data centers achieve a water efficiency seven times greater than the industry average.
The Editorial Staff at AIChief is a team of professional content writers with extensive experience in AI and marketing. Founded in 2025, AIChief has quickly grown into the largest free AI resource hub in the industry.