WATER POSITIVITY
Water use in data centres remains a prominent discussion point as operators face constraints linked to supply, regulation and community impact. Cooling systems account for a significant share of operational water demand, particularly in regions where ambient temperatures and density requirements drive mechanical cooling.
Against this backdrop, reusing wastewater has emerged as a method to reduce reliance on potable water while maintaining operational continuity.
One shining example is how Amazon Web Services( AWS) is pioneering recycled water use in Hong Kong as part of its global water stewardship drive.
Hong Kong recycled water project AWS’ Hong Kong deployment represents a case where wastewater reuse is integrated into a dense urban environment with established infrastructure constraints.
The system, which is the first of its kind in the city, is designed to reduce reliance on freshwater supplies by sourcing treated water from a government reclamation facility. Once operational, AWS states the project could offset freshwater demand equivalent to the daily consumption of more than 3,000 residents.
The Hong Kong Region, first launched in 2019, serves financial services, enterprise and public sector workloads. Integrating wastewater reuse into this data centre environment reflects a shift in how operators address resource constraints in cities where land, power and water are closely managed.
AWS WATER STEWARDSHIP
AWS has positioned water stewardship as part of its global infrastructure strategy, with a target to become water positive by 2030. The company reports it has reached 53 % of that goal, returning more water to communities than it uses in direct operations. This progress is tied to a set of measures that include water efficiency, sourcing changes, reuse programmes and replenishment projects.
Within this framework, wastewater reuse is not treated as a standalone initiative but as a component of system-wide optimisation. AWS reported a global data centre Water Usage Effectiveness( WUE) of 0.15 litres per kilowatt-hour in 2024, marking a 40 % change since 2021. This metric provides a baseline for evaluating how alternative water sources can be integrated without increasing total consumption.
86 May 2026