Tech giants Amazon (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT) announced a new water replenishment project in Hesse, Germany, aimed at restoring natural wetland conditions and replenishing local groundwater resources, expected to return more than 750 million liters of water annually to the local groundwater supply.
The announcement comes as tech companies are coming under increasing pressure to ease concerns about the local water and energy impact of their rapidly expanding datacenter footprints. Amazon and Microsoft have each set “water positive” goals, with pledges to replenish more water than they withdraw. Microsoft recently announced that it hit its water positive target for the first time in 2025, while Amazon recently revealed that it reached 75% towards its goal, and more than doubled its data center water efficiency.
Christian Schätz, COO of Microsoft Germany said:
“When tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon invest together in water stewardship, it signals that this sector takes its responsibility seriously — and that collective action can make a real difference for the regions we all depend on.”
The new project, which will be implemented by German environmental NGO NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland), along with regional partners and public authorities, will restore wetlands across 40 hectares in the Vogelsberg region, a key source of drinking water for Frankfurt. NABU is implementing the project with funding from both Amazon and Microsoft.
The project will restore wetlands across 40 hectares through nature-based approaches, including removing artificial drainage systems, creating shallow water zones to slow water flow and increase infiltration, and implementing extensive grassland management to reduce nutrient runoff into streams. NABU said that it will collaborate with approximately 10 local landholders to acquire 80 hectares of land across two project sites near Herbstein, with further acquisitions planned through 2028.
According to the companies, in addition to replenishing groundwater, the project is expected to create habitats for several bird species that have declined significantly in the region, including whinchats, snipe, wood sandpipers and gadwall. The biodiversity impacts will be assessed through annual monitoring of mammals, birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles between 2028 and 2038, the companies added.
Michael Hanisch, Head of Technology at AWS Germany, said:
“Efficient water use is part of how we operate, but that’s a starting point, not the finish line. We want to actively contribute to improving the water systems locally that communities rely on every day.”
Comments
Log in or sign up to join the conversation.