As concerns about water consumption in data centers grow in the United States, Amazon has responded to criticism in this area. The company said that the 2.5 billion gallons of water it uses in its data centers worldwide are equivalent to just 0.075% of the water Americans use to water their gardens and lawns.
According to Amazon, US residents use about 3.3 trillion gallons of water each year just to irrigate their landscapes and gardens. The company also claims that it uses less water per kilowatt-hour of energy than other tech giants operating in the artificial intelligence sector.
However, critics point out that the data centers are mostly built in water-scarce regions. In some areas, these facilities are said to be negatively affecting groundwater resources and the water supply of local communities.
Amazon, for its part, has announced that it is implementing new technologies to reduce water consumption and aims to become a “water-positive” company by 2030.
