Water is an important, finite resource and we believe that every drop matters. Minimizing water use, being transparent with our water data, and restoring water in high water stress regions are key pillars of our water stewardship program.
Our water stewardship strategy focuses on sourcing water responsibly, driving water efficiency across our facilities and operations, as well as investing in critical water restoration projects in the same watersheds where our facilities are located.
Our Commitment
When it comes to water, using less is not enough. Without it, ecosystems dwindle and communities suffer. In 2021, we announced our goal to become water positive by 2030, where we will restore more water to the environment than we consume for our global operations.
Minimizing Water Use in Data Centers
We are proud to say our data centers are among the most water efficient in the world. Within our data centers, water is used to cool our servers and maintain humidity levels. For locations that face environmental challenges – such as high levels of dust, extreme humidity, or elevated salinity – we are constantly finding innovative ways to minimize our water use.
We choose plant species, efficient irrigation, alternative water sources when available, Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified new wood products and smart scheduling technologies that together save more than 80,000 kilogallons of water per year.
Restoring Local Watersheds
Working with local organizations and utilities, we invest in water restoration projects in water-stressed regions that support the communities’ local water supply and help restore local habitats and wildlife.
Since 2017, we have invested in a total of 18 water restoration projects in six watersheds. These projects are expected to restore more than one billion gallons of water annually.
Restoration is an important part of our strategy to advance water stewardship and promote biodiversity in neighboring communities.
community spotlight
Navajo Water Supply
As the largest contiguous Native American reservation in the continental U.S, the Navajo Nation spans 71,000 kilometers.
Yet, one-third of the Navajo Nation population lack access to running water. Navajo households pay 70 times more for the water they must haul into their homes compared to water users in typical urban areas.
Last year, we partnered with Dig Deep to provide nearly 300,000 gallons of water per year to 14 Navajo households. Each system includes a 1,200 gallon water tank, indoor plumbing, power connections to provide running water and recurring water delivery to refill the water tank (managed by Navajo community partners).
Driving Water Efficiency in Workplaces
Across our global offices, we implement circular systems to reduce our water use as much as possible. We install water-efficient systems in our kitchens and bathrooms and monitor outdoor water use by planting native species and re-using rainwater where feasible. In our data centers specifically, we have implemented highly efficient cooling designs that use less water by relying on outside air.
water
45%
less water than the LEED baseline
Did you know?
Our new Dumbarton campus will use 45% less water and 25% less energy than the LEED baseline. The LEED rating system is the most commonly used green building rating system.
Resources
Download the following resources to learn more about our approach to water stewardship.
Public Water Reporting: Expanding the Operating Envelope
Driving water efficiency in our data centers helps us achieve our water positive goal by decreasing the amount of water we need to restore. In a recent pilot project at our Los Lunas data center in New Mexico, we realized increased water savings by testing our relative humidity set points. Through the success of this pilot, we have rolled out new relative humidity set point changes to the majority of our operating fleet.
Water Restoration in New Mexico
Minimizing our water use is a key focus at Facebook, and we are proud to say our data centers use 80% less water than the average data center. When we started building our Los Lunas Data Center in New Mexico, a region known for its dry climate, we knew we wanted to partner to find sustainable solutions to address a shared water challenge with the community.
2021 Sustainability Report
We envision a just and equitable transition to a zero-carbon economy, and are working to scale inclusive solutions that help create a healthier planet for all.