If you're opposed to data centers, make a pledge to stop using everything they power.
Go ahead... we'll wait.
A no-data-center pledge = guaranteed misery.
Amazon data centers consumed a staggering 2.5 billion gallons of water in 2025.
The landmark disclosure represents Amazon’s first public accounting of its total data center water consumption, a volume equivalent to roughly 3,800 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Across its network of more than 900 facilities in over 50 countries, Amazon utilizes massive water-based cooling systems to prevent server overheating. While the retail and cloud giant highlighted a 2% decline in direct water usage from 2024—attributing the reduction to more efficient cooling and a commitment to return water to communities—critics point out that such high-level global metrics can obscure the localized strain these facilities place on drought-prone areas.
This massive resource consumption is driving a political backlash, with communities and lawmakers demanding greater transparency. In the U.S., Utah recently enacted a groundbreaking law requiring certain new data centers to publicly report their annual water use, while local residents elsewhere voice concern over falling water pressure and rising utility bills.
Public sentiment reflects this tension: a recent national survey revealed that only one-third of Americans support new data center construction, and a mere 14% would accept having one built near their home.
source: Bhutani, A. (2026). Amazon Says Its Data Centers Used 2.5 Billion Gallons of Water in 2025. The Wall Street Journal.