Water is more than a resource; it is essential to life itself. Living in Seattle, I am grateful that I don’t have to think twice about reaching for a glass of water or turning on a faucet to wash my hands. However, this is not the reality for many people around the world. According to UNICEF, over two billion people live in countries where water supply is inadequate and four billion people experience water scarcity at least one month a year. Water has become increasingly scarce due to climate change, aging infrastructure and poor management. This makes protecting and preserving water one of our most important responsibilities.
The encouraging news is that the private sector has started to do its part - companies are taking decisive action, developing new technology and making commitments to address water scarcity. However, there’s an opportunity, and need, to raise awareness for how organizations can do more.
Here’s how we can do that:
Water is a precious resource, yet trillions of gallons of water go to waste every year. However, innovations in AI are making water use smarter across many fronts. Take agriculture, for example. Agriculture uses 65% of the world’s fresh water, but in 2021 almost half of it was wasted (Schroders). Smart irrigation systems, powered by AI companies like Kilimo, are helping farmers monitor weather conditions, soil moisture, and overall water use in real-time. AI analyzes this data quickly and allows farmers to make more informed decisions about when and where to irrigate. Through partnership with agricultural company Driscoll’s, Kilimo‘s technology has helped save over 30 billion liters in 2021 alone.
We’ve also seen technology help address another cause of water waste - leaks. Currently, water utilities around the world lose an average of 30% of the water flowing through water pipes to leaks. In Spain, we collaborated with Fido Tech, a cloud-based water leak detection company, to identify and reduce leakage in the water system in the Villanueva de Gallego community. While leaks may seem small, those fixes make a big difference. By identifying and fixing just 21 leaks, the project is reducing water loss by an estimated 33 million liters per year. In highly water-stressed regions, like many parts of Spain, effective water management and proper interventions are critical to ensure residents have sufficient water to cook meals, maintain hygiene, and sustain their livelihoods.
Addressing water challenges requires a multi-faceted approach. In addition to companies doing all they can to optimize their operations to increase water efficiency and reduce waste, there is an opportunity to go beyond internal improvements to invest in community water infrastructure. Corporate investments in local water infrastructure will prove critical in the years ahead as a recent survey conducted by Pew Research found water utilities in the U.S. alone will need $625 billion investment over the next 20 years to fix, maintain, and improve the country’s water infrastructure.
As an example, Amazon collaborated with Loudoun Water in Northern Virginia to invest in distribution infrastructure to become the state's first data center operator approved to use recycled water for cooling systems. This conservation practice benefits local communities by leaving more freshwater for drinking, farming, or other daily community needs. We've expanded this approach to 24 locations worldwide, including in water-stressed areas like northern California, helping to pave the way for others to adopt similar sustainability-focused water practices.
Companies can only get so far in addressing this crisis by themselves. Solving the global water crisis requires collaboration between companies, governments, and communities. As an example of effective collaboration, Water.org, a leading global water nonprofit, partners with major corporations including Starbucks and Stella Artois to provide microloans to families. These loans enable households to connect to water infrastructure and install basic sanitation facilities like toilets.
In 2019, India Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced a plan called the “Jal Jeevan Mission,” which aimed to bring running water to every home in India. Water.org's efforts, with corporate support, aligned with the government's long-term goals. As a result, Water.org has empowered more than 20 million people in India with access to safe water and sanitation since 2019, and over 29 million in India since 2004. We can learn a lot from aligning goals like this and look for more opportunities to work together with state and local governments. It's teamwork on a national scale.
As we move forward in our fight against water scarcity, it's clear that no single entity can solve this crisis alone. We can do more together when we break down silos and drive collective action across corporations, governments, NGOs, and local communities to create holistic, effective solutions. Whether it's advancements in AI-driven water management, investments in new water recycling systems, or innovative policy frameworks, we must be ready to act quickly to scale new solutions to accelerate impact.
As we continue this journey, it is important to remember that every drop counts, and the actions the world can take brings us one step closer to a water-secure future for all. Together, we can turn the tide on water scarcity.
Justine Mahler leads Amazon’s worldwide strategy for environmental impact areas in Waste, Water, and Biodiversity. She also owns Sustainable Product and Selection. She joined Amazon in 2014 as a Sr. Packaging Engineer and throughout her 10-year Amazon career has delivered numerous innovations that reduce packaging waste, improve customer experience, and lower cost. Before joining Amazon, Justine spent seven years at Procter & Gamble designing and launching new products across multiple business units and geographies. Justine received a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from The Ohio State University.
