WRI Aqueduct
World Resources Institute water risk mapping platform that provides per-location water stress scores used to assess data centre siting risk.
Last refreshed: 6 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for WRI Aqueduct
Mentioned in: Where the next data centres should go
Data Centres: Boom and BacklashMentioned in: Microsoft Mount Pleasant: 8M gallons via lawsuit
Data Centres: Boom and Backlash- What is WRI Aqueduct and how is it used for data centres?
- WRI Aqueduct is a free online water-stress mapping tool from the World Resources Institute. Data centre operators and investors use it to assess water risk at specific locations, and regulators cite it when reviewing planning applications in water-stressed regions.Source: World Resources Institute
- Is the Phoenix metro area running out of water for data centres?
- WRI Aqueduct scores most of the Phoenix metro at 'high' to 'extremely high' baseline water stress, compounded by Colorado River shortage declarations. Data-centre cooling towers in the area are a growing concern for regulators and water-rights advocates.Source: WRI Aqueduct
- How do data centre operators check water stress at a new site?
- Operators typically run the proposed site coordinates through WRI Aqueduct to get a baseline water-stress score on a scale from low to extremely high. High scores trigger scrutiny from ESG investors, insurers, and local regulators.Source: World Resources Institute
- What water stress score does Aragón have for Amazon's data centre campus?
- The Ebro basin that supplies Aragón is classified under elevated water stress by WRI Aqueduct. Ecologistas en Acción cited water consumption in the lawsuit filed against Amazon's 30-building Aragón campus at TSJ Aragón in April 2026.Source: Lowdown data-centres briefing
Background
WRI Aqueduct is an online water-risk mapping tool published by the World Resources Institute (WRI), a Washington DC-based environmental research organisation. Aqueduct maps global water stress, flood risk, and drought risk at watershed level, and is widely used by data centre site selectors, ESG analysts, and regulators to assess the water risk profile of specific locations.
In the context of the data centre debate, Aqueduct data is cited in discussions about the sustainability of water-cooled facilities in regions such as the Chihuahuan Desert (Meta El Paso), the Ebro basin (Amazon Aragón), and the western US. The tool provides a standardised independent assessment that operators, investors, and regulators can use to cross-check corporate water sustainability claims against hydrological reality.