Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are building data centers in water-scarce regions, raising concerns about resource depletion, The Guardian reported. Amazon\u2019s three proposed data centers in Spain\u2019s Aragon region are licensed to use 755,720 cubic meters of water annually\u2014enough to irrigate 233 hectares of corn. In December 2024, Amazon requested a 48% increase in water usage for its existing Aragon facilities. Google\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SourceMaterial\u2019s 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 \u201cwater positive\u201d by 2030. Critics argue that water offsetting projects are less effective than carbon offsetting due to water\u2019s localized nature.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are building data centers in water-scarce regions, raising concerns about resource depletion, The Guardian reported. Amazon\u2019s three proposed data centers in Spain\u2019s Aragon region are licensed to use 755,720 cubic meters of water annually\u2014enough to irrigate 233 hectares of corn. In December 2024, Amazon requested a 48% increase in water usage …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":122127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"yes","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[13529],"class_list":["post-122126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science","tag-data-centers-straining-water-resources"],"yoast_head":"\n