• Google is committing $60 million to five new water stewardship projects across Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and Virginia.
• The company now supports more than 165 projects across 97 watersheds, with projects expected to replenish over 19 billion gallons annually by 2030.
• Google has committed more than $500 million to water, wastewater and reuse infrastructure as scrutiny grows over data center resource demand.

Google is expanding its U.S. water strategy with a $60 million commitment to five new projects aimed at replenishment, conservation and watershed restoration.

The projects span Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and Virginia. They form part of Google’s wider effort to replenish more freshwater than it consumes at its sites by 2030.

The investment comes as technology companies rapidly expand data center capacity to meet demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence. That growth is increasing scrutiny of the sector’s energy and water requirements.

“As digital infrastructure expands to power the tools and technologies we rely on every day, we believe that how we build is just as important as what we build. Protecting shared natural resources and supporting local watershed health is fundamental to how we grow.”

Five projects target local water risks

Each project has been designed around specific watershed challenges.

In Arizona, Google is working with Trout Unlimited and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The project will remove and replace culverts to restore natural streamflow and reconnect habitat for Apache Trout.

In Indiana, the company is partnering with Fort Wayne City Utilities. The initiative will improve water reuse at a treatment plant and reduce freshwater withdrawals from the St. Joseph River.

Ohio funding will support the Department of Agriculture’s H2Ohio Farmland Water Management Program. The work will improve agricultural drainage systems while reducing runoff and conserving water.

In Oklahoma, Google is supporting the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The project will remove invasive Eastern Red Cedar trees and restore cropland to native playa wetlands.

Virginia will receive investment for stormwater filtration systems through a partnership with Frog Creek Partners. The systems are intended to improve water quality across the Chesapeake Bay and Roanoke River watersheds.

Data center growth puts water in focus

Water is an important part of data center operations because servers and chips generate significant heat. Google says water cooling can reduce data center energy use by about 10% compared with air cooling in some locations.

The company has adopted five water stewardship commitments covering replenishment, infrastructure, cooling, disclosure and alternative water supplies.

Google said it replenished more than 7 billion gallons of water in 2025. That volume is roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 70,000 average U.S. households.

Its portfolio now includes more than 165 projects across 97 watersheds. Once fully implemented, those projects are expected to replenish more than 19 billion gallons annually by 2030.

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That would be more than double Google’s 2024 water consumption.

The company has also committed more than $500 million to water, wastewater and reuse infrastructure in communities where it operates or develops data centers. Projects include strengthening local water supplies and detecting leaks.

Google says high-risk watersheds will influence how new data centers are cooled. Where water supplies face elevated risk, the company plans to use air cooling or recycled water instead of freshwater-dependent systems.

It has also committed to continuing annual disclosure of data center water consumption.

Investment rises as infrastructure expands

Google has increased its financial commitment to water stewardship considerably. Its investments this year have risen from $17 million to $77 million, while the number of U.S. states covered by its initiatives has expanded from seven to 12.

The company is also assessing more than 700 proposals submitted through its Water Replenishment Projects Request for Information.

Potential projects range from engineered water efficiency systems to agricultural practices and nature-based approaches that improve the hydrological cycle.

For corporate leaders and investors, water is becoming a more material infrastructure issue as digital capacity expands. Data center development increasingly requires companies to balance computing demand with local constraints around water, energy and public infrastructure.

Google’s approach links future growth with watershed assessment, infrastructure spending and public disclosure. As AI investment accelerates globally, those commitments are likely to face growing attention from regulators, communities and investors evaluating the environmental cost of digital infrastructure.