Amazon has announced two new water replenishment projects in Germany, which are expected to return up to 370 million liters (97.7 gallons) of water to local communities.

The projects include an urban leak-detection initiative in Frankfurt and a wetland restoration project in the Spessart Forest, located upstream of Frankfurt.

“As cities face increasing water challenges, we have a responsibility to be good water stewards and support innovative solutions that make every drop count”, said Michael Hannisch, AWS head of technology in Germany. “These projects in Germany demonstrate how technology and nature-based solutions can help us use water more efficiently, reducing waste and ensuring this vital resource is available for communities now and in the future.”

The urban leak initiative is being completed in partnership with Shayp, a water monitoring firm. As part of the project, the companies will install Shayp’s smart Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring technology in 500 buildings across Frankfurt by 2028, at no cost to building owners and operators. Shayp will begin installing the sensors this year. Once installed, the sensors will provide 24/7 monitoring, allowing for rapid response to detected leaks

Gregoire de Hemptinne, CEO of Shayp: “We are proud to collaborate with Amazon on this groundbreaking project in Frankfurt. Our AWS-powered technology will help the city reduce water waste by more than 320 million liters (84.5 million gallons) whilst demonstrating how innovation can address critical environmental challenges.”

Shayp is a participant in Amazon’s Sustainability Accelerator, having been selected for its 2025 cohort. In addition to the Frankfurt project, the company is also working with Amazon’s European operations team on additional projects at Amazon sites across Europe.

The second project is being conducted in partnership with EcoTree, a Danish-based environmental services company. The project will see EcoTree strengthen wetland conditions across 200 hectares in the Spessart Forest near Würzburg, Bavaria. The company will create around six hectares of new wetland habitats that slow water flow, increase retention capacity, and promote groundwater recharge as water filters naturally back into the earth.

In total, the companies claim the project will replenish more than 57 million liters (15 million gallons) of water annually when completed by the end of 2027. As well as supporting water restoration, the initiative is also expected to improve habitats for endangered species, including amphibians and the black stork, while stabilizing microclimates and sustaining carbon storage in the mixed forest.

“We’re officially in an era of water extremes: it’s either too much, too little, or often too polluted, causing droughts and floodings that directly threaten communities, ecosystems, and businesses across Germany. That’s precisely why we need to accelerate the restoration and adaptation of ecosystems and their hydrological balance, and we’re particularly happy about Amazon’s strategic contribution to this lighthouse project,” said Christian Bergius, managing director of EcoTree Germany.

Amazon has implemented a range of water reclamation and sustainability initiatives to offset the water use associated with its operations. The company has committed to return more water to communities than its data centers directly use by 2030. In total, the company claims that it has more than 45 water replenishment projects globally.

Most recently, Amazon partnered with Veolia to support the use of reclaimed water for cooling purposes, with the first facility to deploy the system expected to be operational in 2027.