Responsible water use is a core commitment across Amazon's data centres. From the earliest days of operations in Asia Pacific with our first Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centres in Singapore, we have invested in innovative solutions to use water wisely and recycle it where possible.
AWS Singapore wins all three PUB Water Awards for 2026
On 25 September 2026, AWS Singapore's water stewardship efforts were recognised by the Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore's national water agency. AWS became the first organisation to win all three of PUB's water awards in a single year: the Singapore Watermark Award, the Water Efficiency Award, and the Water Efficiency Award (Projects).
AWS previously received the Singapore Watermark Award and Water Efficiency Award in 2024. These are PUB's highest recognitions for organisations demonstrating exceptional water efficiency, advocacy, and innovation. AWS has closely collaborated with PUB on advancing water sustainability.
As a Thematic Sponsor for the 2024 Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) and the Founding Sponsor for 2026, AWS continues to host workshops and share industry best practices. AWS has also advocated for water sustainability practices in Singapore with its employees and community as a long-term partner of Singapore World Water Day and a founding sponsor of the SG Water Saver Programme.
Using less in the first place
It starts with efficiency. Amazon's data centres globally are over 7x more water-efficient than the industry average, relying on free air cooling for most of the year and using water only during the hottest days. These efficiency gains are also the result of years of investment in custom cooling technology, smarter systems, and a commitment to minimize water use wherever possible.
In tropical Southeast Asia, higher ambient temperatures and humidity mean more water is required for data centre cooling. In AWS data centres in Southeast Asia, we use highly efficient open loop cooling and cooling towers.
Open-loop cooling works much like evaporative cooling: water absorbs heat from servers and releases it through evaporation, reducing the need for energy-intensive mechanical chillers. Cooling towers accelerate this process by maximising the water's exposure to air. By optimising the balance between water and electricity, our data centres move significant amounts of heat while using fewer resources overall.
In Singapore, AWS has improved average water usage effectiveness (WUE) year-on-year – from 1.68 litres per kilowatt-hour (L/kwh) in 2024 to 1.57 L/kwh in 2025. To further improve efficiency, we also partnered with Singapore-based startup Hydroleap to deploy a chemical-free water recycling system at our cooling towers. Instead of traditional heavy chemical dosing, Hydroleap’s system passes an electrical current through the water to remove contaminants. This reduces cooling tower water discharge by up to 70%, improving water efficiency in our data centres in Singapore.
Choosing efficient water sources
We are pioneering the use of "reclaimed" water in our data centres, sourcing from wastewater treatment plants instead of using drinkable water. In Southeast Asia, we already use 100% reclaimed water in Singapore, have contracted to use 100% reclaimed water in Malaysia, and are focused on increasing our use of reclaimed water in Indonesia and Thailand.
AWS already operates 26 facilities worldwide using 100% reclaimed water, more than any other cloud provider, with 130 more contracted globally.
In Singapore, thanks to PUB’s concerted effort to use recycled water as a sustainable source for industrial purposes, all Amazon data centres run on NEWater, ultra-clean recycled water produced by PUB through microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet treatment.
In Malaysia, Amazon is working with local partners – Air Selangor, Indah Water Konsortium, and Central Water Reclaim – to build first-of-their-kind reclaimed water facilities that will deliver nearly 6.5 billion litres of reclaimed water annually when fully operational. This is the equivalent to approximately 2,600 Olympic sized swimming pools, or the annual water usage of approximately 21,300 Malaysian households. This is AWS’s largest contracted reclaimed water supply project in the region, supporting its data centres in the Kuala Lumpur area. The project will help Amazon’s data centres in Malaysia use 100% reclaimed water and closely aligns with the Malaysian government’s Water Transformation Roadmap 2040, demonstrating how public-private partnerships can advance sustainable water infrastructure at scale.
In Indonesia, Amazon is the first data centre operator to use reclaimed water for cooling in West Java, Indonesia, reducing dependency on freshwater sources. This pioneering effort supports the Indonesian government's green industrial park vision while protecting community water supplies.Amazon collaborated with the Greenland International Industrial Centre (GIIC) Water Authority to launch a water reclamation initiative that treats wastewater to clean water standards and blends 876 million litres per year into the local water supply reservoir. This is equivalent to the annual water usage of 3,600 households in Indonesia.
Returning water to communities
We also invest in water replenishment projects to return water back to our communities. Amazon has announced over 70 water projects expected to return more than 40 billion litres of water annually for use by local communities.
In Indonesia, through a collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, AWS delivered wells, water treatment systems, and storage infrastructure for five villages in the Karawang District of West Java, providing nearly 6,000 people with reliable access to clean water for the first time, and an estimated 200 million litres of clean water annually (80 Olympic swimming pools). Each village now has a trained water access committee to maintain the systems long-term. AWS has also worked with Water.org to finance water pipe extensions in West Java, collectively bringing clean water and sanitation to over 35,000 people since 2020.
What comes next
Innovation is core to how Amazon operates, and we will keep applying it to water: designing more efficient systems, scaling recycled water use, and finding new ways to replenish what we take. Amazon is already 75% of the way to its goal of becoming water positive by 2030, returning three litres for every four used in 2025.
Across Southeast Asia, we will continue working alongside startups, researchers, and communities pushing the boundaries of what is possible with water. Sustainability is good for the planet, good for business, and essential to being a good neighbour.
