June 12, 2025 1:09 PM
Amazon breaks ground on Swedish wetland project to enhance water quality and community resilience
Amazon Web Services (AWS) joined local officials today to break ground on an innovative water replenishment project outside Katrineholm, Sweden, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to water stewardship across the communities where we operate.
The $4 million investment will support critical stormwater infrastructure upgrades, the creation of a new wetland, and community recreational area in Stora Djulö. Once completed in 2026, the project will help reduce flooding risks, improve water quality in nearby lakes, and enhance biodiversity throughout the local ecosystem.
"This groundbreaking represents more than just a water management solution—it's about creating lasting environmental benefits for the Katrineholm community," said Clare Biddle, senior manager, Energy and Water for AWS in Europe, Middle East and Africa. "By supporting natural infrastructure that helps manage stormwater while creating new habitats, we're demonstrating our commitment to being a good neighbor and responsible water steward."
The project emerged from collaboration between AWS, the municipality of Katrineholm, and the regional water utility company, Sörmlands Vatten. In addition to its environmental benefits, the wetland will provide new recreational opportunities for local residents and serve as an educational resource for schools and researchers.
“Breaking ground at Djulö Wetland marks the start of a long-term investment in nature and climate resilience,” said Maja Larsson, project manager at the Municipality of Katrineholm. “This has been made possible through a successful collaboration with Amazon—a partnership turning sustainability goals into real impact.”
Once completed, the Katrineholm wetland will join Amazon's portfolio of 28 water replenishment projects globally, which together is expected to return more than 9 billion liters of water annually to communities. As the project develops over the coming years, AWS will continue working with local partners to ensure the wetland delivers maximum benefits for water quality, flood protection, biodiversity, and community enjoyment.
June 9, 2025 2:55 AM
Amazon to expand water recycling at data centers to over 120 locations across the US
Today, Amazon announced we will expand our use of water recycling to more than 120 locations in states and counties where we have data center operations by 2030. By scaling our use of recycled water—water that has been previously used and treated—we expect to preserve over 530 million gallons of drinking-water supply in our communities throughout the U.S. each year while building a more sustainable cloud for our customers.
“We are deeply committed to being good members of our communities, and doubling down on preserving freshwater resources is one of the ways we can demonstrate that,” said Kevin Miller, vice president of global data centers for AWS. “By significantly expanding our recycled-water infrastructure, we’re aiming to advance technological innovation while still prioritizing environmental stewardship.”
AWS has previously used recycled water in Virginia and California and is now expanding those efforts to more places in Virginia, as well as in Georgia and Mississippi. AWS is a pioneer of this approach by working with a local Virginia water utility to become the first data center operator in the state approved to use recycled water with direct evaporative cooling systems. This practice has helped AWS use up to 85% less water than conventional methods.
“AWS’ new initiative will support communities by easing pressure on local water systems while meeting the needs of the rapidly growing AI economy," said Howard Carter, president of Water Environment Federation (WEF). "As part of our strategy to advance the circular water economy, the Water Environment Federation encourages public-private collaboration to drive innovative water solutions. AWS’s commitment to recycled water exemplifies how the private sector can work with communities to build a more resilient water future.”
This expansion supports AWS’s commitment to be water positive by 2030, returning more water to communities than it uses in its direct operations. As of 2024, AWS reached 53% of the way toward meeting this goal.
May 29, 2025 7:59 AM
Amazon to work with local tribes and conservation groups to keep water in streams and help wildlife
Photo of Birch Creek. Source: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.Water, a precious resource, is deeply connected to people’s livelihood. As a data center operator in eastern Oregon, we've seen firsthand how rivers and waterways sustain local communities and wildlife. That’s why we’re excited to announce Amazon's first water replenishment project in Oregon, as AWS continues to make progress towards its commitment to being water positive by 2030.
The project features a water-leasing program that will be implemented through close coordination with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Trout Unlimited, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) to benefit Birch Creek, a critical tributary of the Umatilla River in eastern Oregon. The voluntary program compensates willing landowners for leaving water in the natural watershed instead of diverting it for other uses, helping to restore instream flows.
“At Amazon, we aim to be a good water steward everywhere we operate,” said Will Hewes, water sustainability lead at Amazon. “We deeply appreciate what water resource availability and wildlife conservation mean to the eastern Oregon community. By investing in local water resources, we're not just helping to restore crucial habitats, we're contributing to the overall health and wellbeing of the families who live there.”
The project is expected to increase water flow in Birch Creek, supporting ongoing habitat restoration efforts. Once completed, the project is expected to replenish 325 million gallons, or 1,000-acre feet, of water each year to the Birch Creek watershed.
“Birch Creek is one of the foremost breeding grounds for Mid-Columbia steelhead trout in the Umatilla Basin. By restoring water flows, we're helping maintain fish passage from the Umatilla River up to prime spawning grounds in Birch Creek,” said Anton A. Chiono, Habitat Conservation Project Leader at the Department of Natural Resources with the CTUIR. “Restoring instream flows is crucial for steelhead recovery, and other local wildlife, especially when facing water scarcity challenges.”
March 19, 2025 2:00 AM
Tackling global water scarcity: Amazon’s commitment to water replenishment
Water sustains life on Earth, yet roughly half of the world’s population is experiencing severe water scarcity, with more than 2 billion people without access to safe drinking water.
Every year on March 22, World Water Day emphasizes the importance of global collaboration to protect our most precious shared resource. For Amazon, this day also serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about global water challenges and showcase our investments and innovations aimed at addressing widespread water scarcity issues.
Conserving water in our operations and returning water to communities
Amazon aims to be a good water steward everywhere it operates. For example, Amazon recently set a goal to replenish more water than we use across our India operations by 2027, and is committed to being “water positive” across all AWS data centers by 2030.
We’re reducing our water footprint by increasing the efficiency of our water use throughout our operations while also investing in ways to replenish water in our communities. Some examples:
- Amazon scaled harvesting and reuse solutions in its fulfillment centers, sort centers, and delivery stations around the world. We’ve also created a global water metering and leak detection program, with one pilot in the United Kingdom saving an estimated 700 million liters of leaked water over two years.
- The Boss Defrost’s powerful circulating pump system recycles meltwater instead of letting it run down the drain. Whole Foods Market stores in the Denver area with Boss Defrost systems installed saw overall store water usage decrease by an average of 12% between 2021 and 2022.
- In many of its data centers AWS uses direct evaporative cooling and free-air cooling systems to remove heat from servers in data centers. Recycled water is also used for cooling at 24 data centers worldwide, preserving valuable drinking water for communities and the environment.
- Amazon’s global corporate offices are increasingly using recycled water and low-flow fixtures. For example, at HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia, by capturing and reusing rainwater, shower water, and HVAC condensate, the building is expected to achieve 50% water savings below building code, and recycle 7.5 million gallons each year.
- Globally, Amazon’s 27 water replenishment projects are expected to return more than 8 billion liters of water annually once completed. These projects expand access to clean water and sanitation, improve water quality, and increase the water available to water-stressed communities. Some of these projects are already under way, while others are just commencing.
- For example, earlier this month we announced three projects in Spain that are expected to reduce flood risk for 700,000 residents in the province of Zaragoza, modernize critical infrastructure, and optimize agricultural water use through artificial intelligence (AI). And in India, Amazon has invested in five projects, including partnering with the global nonprofits Water.org and WaterAid to bring clean water and sanitation to over 250,000 people surrounding our regions there.
01 / 05
Sharing what we’ve learned
To help other companies take similar steps to reduce water usage, we’ve created a public water stewardship program playbook available through the Amazon Sustainability Exchange. This resource is meant to be a starter guide for any organization looking to establish a similar water stewardship program.
