Google has announced a set of five commitments aimed at managing water consumption at its data centers across the United States. These include replenishing more water than it consumes by 2030, investing in local water infrastructure, and increasing transparency regarding water usage.
Water Stewardship Commitments
Google released a blog post detailing five specific pledges:
- Replenish 120% of the water consumed at its data center sites by 2030.
- Help local utilities modernize water and wastewater infrastructure.
- Use air-cooled solutions in areas where watersheds are at risk.
- Report water use transparently on an annual basis.
- Focus on alternative and reclaimed water solutions.
Replenishment Goal
The company stated it aims to replenish 120% of the water it consumes at data centers by 2030.
In 2025, Google reported replenishing over 7 billion gallons of water. The company currently has 165 water stewardship projects across 97 watersheds. Google expects these projects to replenish more than 19 billion gallons of water annually by 2030.
Infrastructure Investment
Google has committed over $500 million to water, wastewater, and water reuse infrastructure projects. The company plans to allocate an additional $17 million to new water stewardship projects in Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas.
Cooling Solutions
According to Bikash Koley, Google’s vice president of global infrastructure, water cooling can reduce data center energy use by approximately 10% compared to air cooling. Google uses a data-driven framework to assess local watersheds before building new data centers. If a water source is at high risk, the company selects air cooling or recycled water. An example is a facility in Douglas County, Georgia, where treated wastewater is used for cooling.
Transparency and Reporting
Google stated it was the first major cloud provider to disclose annual water use for data center locations and commits to continuing this practice.
Context and Perspectives
The announcement coincides with public discussion regarding data center construction and environmental impact.
- A Gallup poll found that over 70% of Americans oppose a data center in their local area; 18% of respondents cited excess water use as a concern.
- A study indicated that AI data centers consume as much water annually as people drink from water bottles worldwide.
- Some researchers stated that Google's prior water use estimates were misleading due to omitted indirect usage.
Ben Townsend, Google's global head of infrastructure and sustainability, said the company aims to provide a "blueprint" for communities to reference when evaluating data center proposals from other companies. He defended Google's record on accounting for its offsite water footprint. Townsend acknowledged concerns about water usage but stated that the data center sector may use less water than the public perceives, and that investments are needed to prevent future problems.