Amazon Announces $20 Million Investment in Colorado River Water Conservation
Amazon has pledged to invest $20 million into water conservation projects along the Colorado River as part of a broader initiative called the Colorado River Basin Collaborative. The company aims to raise up to $100 million over two years, with contributions from other partners and organizations like the United Nations-backed Water Resilience Coalition. This move comes amid growing concerns about how data centers consume large amounts of water in drought-stricken regions. The Colorado River supplies water for 40 million people across seven U.S. states and parts of Mexico but is facing an 'unprecedented' drought due to overuse and climate change. Amazon disclosed that its global data centers used 2.5 billion gallons of water in 2025, though it has not provided a full picture of total usage or long-term trends. While the company claims improvements in efficiency—reducing consumption by 2% year-over-year—it faces scrutiny for relying on metrics that may obscure overall impact. Amazon is also part of broader corporate efforts to address water use alongside tech peers like Microsoft and Meta.
Topics: Amazon Colorado River corporate responsibility data centers drought