Tech’s Thirst for Change: How Apple and Other Industry Giants Are Reimagining Water Stewardship

In a world facing rising water scarcity and unpredictable hydrological cycles, it is not just agriculture or heavy industry feeling the pressure—technology companies, too, are waking up to their role in the global water balance. From chip manufacturing to data centres, the tech industry is a heavy water consumer, but some of the world’s most recognisable brands are now taking steps to change that. Apple, a pioneer in many fields, is also emerging as a quiet leader in supply chain water responsibility.

Apple’s Blueprint for Water Stewardship

In April 2024, Apple unveiled updates to its global environmental strategy with a pronounced focus on water stewardship. According to the Aquatech Trade article and Apple’s environmental progress report, the company has helped suppliers save over 76 billion gallons of fresh water since launching its Clean Water Programme in 2013. This initiative, part of Apple’s broader sustainability goals, extends support to over 300 manufacturing facilities worldwide, helping them to recycle water, reduce consumption, and improve discharge quality.

What sets Apple’s water strategy apart is its supply chain-centric approach. The majority of Apple's environmental impact lies not within its own operations but in the vast and complex web of suppliers. These include manufacturers of components such as semiconductors, camera modules, and casings—many of which are located in water-stressed regions in China and Southeast Asia.

Apple’s efforts align with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) standards and are complemented by investments in education, local water replenishment projects, and wastewater treatment technologies. In California, Apple has partnered with regional water authorities to support aquifer recharge and has integrated stormwater reuse systems across its campuses.

Big Tech's Growing Water Footprint

The move is timely. A 2023 report from the World Resources Institute warned that the tech sector’s water footprint is expanding rapidly, particularly with the rise of data centres and semiconductor production—both of which require vast amounts of ultra-pure water.

Data centres alone can use between 1 million and 5 million gallons of water per day, primarily for cooling. According to the Uptime Institute, the average data centre consumes 1.8 litres of water for every kilowatt-hour of IT load. With artificial intelligence and cloud computing driving exponential growth in data infrastructure, these numbers are only expected to rise.

What Other Tech Leaders Are Doing

Apple is not alone in addressing these challenges. Other major tech firms have also announced bold water commitments:

• Microsoft aims to become "water positive" by 2030, meaning it will replenish more water than it consumes globally. This includes restoration of wetlands, rainwater harvesting, and wastewater recycling in their campuses and data centres.

• Google has committed to replenishing 120% of the water it uses by 2030. The company is also piloting on-site water reuse systems at several data centres and is working with NGOs to fund watershed restoration projects.

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced a water positive goal for 2030 as well, focusing on innovations in evaporative cooling and investing in community water access projects in regions like India and South Africa.

• Intel, which operates some of the world’s most advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities, has restored more than 2 billion gallons of water to local basins in the United States through nature-based solutions like constructed wetlands.

This trend is not simply philanthropic—it’s increasingly necessary. Regulators in arid regions, from Arizona to Gujarat, are imposing tighter controls on industrial water use. Meanwhile, investors and ESG analysts are scrutinising water risks as never before. CDP, the global disclosure platform, reported that in 2023 alone, $301 billion in business value was at risk due to water-related issues across sectors.

Challenges and Criticisms

Yet, critics argue that “water positive” claims can sometimes be difficult to substantiate. Measuring "replenishment" accurately is complex, particularly when companies operate in diverse watersheds across the globe. A litre of water saved in one location doesn’t always equate to relief in another.

There’s also the question of whether companies should focus more on reducing absolute consumption rather than offsetting it through restoration elsewhere. A 2022 study by MIT found that some corporate offset programmes, while well-intentioned, fail to deliver lasting hydrological benefits without robust local engagement and scientific oversight.

A Ripple Effect Through the Supply Chain?

Where Apple’s model may have the most long-term impact is in its influence over suppliers. Tech giants wield immense leverage over contract manufacturers, and when sustainability becomes a condition of doing business, the ripple effects can be transformative.

Apple now requires its suppliers to track, report, and improve water usage as a core part of its Supplier Code of Conduct. The company also helps fund audits, technical training, and even wastewater testing kits. In regions like the Pearl River Delta, where industrial pollution and water scarcity collide, this support has reportedly led to significant reductions in chemical discharge and freshwater withdrawals.

Turning Innovation Inward

There is also potential for innovation in the tech products themselves. Companies like Dell and HP have begun incorporating water efficiency into product lifecycle assessments. Meanwhile, startups are exploring waterless chip manufacturing and liquid cooling systems that recycle water with near-zero loss.

Apple’s own product packaging strategy has reduced water usage through fibre-based materials and closed-loop recycling systems. As consumer awareness grows, environmental design may become a unique selling point—not just in carbon, but in water.

Ending the Drought of Responsibility

Water may not yet be the headline issue in ESG reporting, but that’s starting to change. As climate change amplifies droughts and floods across the globe, access to water will be an increasingly material risk for businesses and communities alike.

In many ways, the tech industry has the agility, capital, and talent to lead the way in water innovation. Apple’s sustained engagement with supply chain water stewardship is a positive sign—and if replicated and scaled by others, could help shift global water governance towards resilience and equity.