A new Amazon report reveals that while AI data centers' water usage is often criticized, their total consumption is relatively small compared to other industries. The company's global data centers used 2.5 billion gallons in 2025, far less than US golf courses (531B gallons) or almond farming (1.3T gallons). However, water usage is growing rapidly with AI expansion, with Texas data centers alone potentially reaching 399B gallons by 2030.
Background
Data centers require significant water for cooling systems, and there have been growing concerns about their environmental impact as AI computing demands increase. This has led to increased scrutiny of tech companies' water usage and sustainability practices.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Jun 13, 2026 at 12:51 AM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10