AWS announces a $4 billion investment in a new cloud region in Chile, focusing on water-efficient operations amid the country’s prolonged drought.
The data centers will primarily use air-cooled designs, reducing water usage to only 4% of the year, supporting Amazon’s water-positive goal by 2030.
AWS collaborates with local partners to convert 67 hectares to drip irrigation, saving 200 million liters of water annually.
Chile’s prolonged drought brings environmental considerations to the forefront of Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) $4 billion investment for a new cloud region. The project, set for completion by late 2026, will feature three Availability Zones and balance technological advancement with resource mindfulness. Such resource-conscious planning contrasts with past scrutiny faced by other tech giants, like Google, over water use for similar Chilean facilities.
Water-wise operations: AWS plans for its Chilean data centers to use largely air-cooled designs, a choice that dramatically cuts water needs. The company projects water for cooling systems will be necessary only about four percent of the year. This operational strategy supports Amazon’s overall water-positive commitment by 2030.
Conservation in action: AWS’s local water stewardship extends beyond facility design, with active investments including partnerships with climate-tech firm Kilimo and Maipo Basin farmers. This initiative converts 67 hectares from flood to drip irrigation, a method projected to save approximately 200 million liters of water annually. “This water conservation effort supports AWS commitment to be water positive by 2030 and demonstrates our dedication to environmental sustainability in the communities where AWS operate,” the company stated on its blog.
Minimal local impact: AWS estimates its data centers’ average water consumption upon launch will be less than that of two average Chilean households per year. Juan Pablo Estevez, local head of AWS, told Reuters the facilities would use water for cooling equivalent to about eight homes over a 15-year span, and will rely on air and evaporation technology otherwise. These figures are intended to reassure a nation that has endured over 15 years of drought.
Broader green goals: This water efficiency focus aligns with Amazon’s global environmental targets, such as matching 100% of its energy consumption with renewable power since 2023. The company also co-founded The Climate Pledge in 2019, a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon across its business by 2040. The Chilean development thus reflects part of a larger corporate environmental strategy.
