Tech Giants’ Data Centers Strain Water Resources in Drought-Prone Regions

Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are building data centers in water-scarce regions, raising concerns about resource depletion, The Guardian reported. Amazon’s three proposed data centers in Spain’s Aragon region are licensed to use 755,720 cubic meters of water annually—enough to irrigate 233 hectares of corn. In December 2024, Amazon requested a 48% increase in water usage for its existing Aragon facilities. Google’s data centers in drought-stricken Arizona are permitted to use 5.5 million cubic meters of water yearly, equivalent to the consumption of 23,000 residents.

SourceMaterial’s analysis identified 38 active data centers owned by these companies in water-stressed areas, with 24 more under development. Microsoft reported that 42% of its water usage in 2023 came from areas with water stress, while Google cited 15%. Amazon did not disclose its global water usage but pledged to become “water positive” by 2030. Critics argue that water offsetting projects are less effective than carbon offsetting due to water’s localized nature.