Amazon’s data centers used 2.5 billion gallons of water last year

Amazon disclosed that its global data centers consumed 2.5 billion gallons of water in 2023, marking the first time the company has publicly shared this specific usage data. The report arrives amid increasing scrutiny over the environmental impact of infrastructure built to support generative AI and cloud computing. As local governments debate moratoriums on facility construction due to resource constraints, these figures highlight the growing tension between the physical demands of high-performance computing and regional water security.