AWS Partners with Veolia for Wastewater Cooling in Madison County, Mississippi

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Veolia have established a partnership in Madison County, Mississippi, to utilize treated wastewater for cooling AWS's new multi-billion dollar data center at the Mega Site near Canton. Chris Low, executive vice president of Veolia’s Water Technologies Division in North America, stated that a new treatment facility, scheduled to become operational by 2027, will provide approximately 83 million gallons of treated wastewater annually, exclusively for the AWS facility, thereby minimizing the impact on local water infrastructure. Amazon is committing at least $21 billion to data center developments in Madison County, which includes the Mega Site project and another data center hub along West County Line Road in Ridgeland. Roger Wehner, director of economic development for AWS, announced at an April 9 ceremony that the Mega Site facility is designed to eventually use 100% recycled water for cooling, while the Ridgeland project will use water only 30 days a year, aligning with AWS's water-positive goal. Currently, five of the anticipated 15 to 17 data center buildings at the Mega Site are operational, utilizing well water. Joey Deason, Executive Director of the Madison County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA), confirmed these facilities will integrate into the Veolia system by mid-2027. Additionally, AWS is investing $55 million to upgrade Ridgeland's water system, intending to boost its production capacity to 11 million gallons daily. A separate $1 billion AWS data center under construction in Clinton is planned to operate with zero water for cooling. The article also mentions an AVAIO data center in Brandon, Rankin County, which will incorporate sustainable design elements, including water-efficient cooling and rainwater recapture. Veolia officials noted that the 83 million gallons of recycled wastewater for AWS in Madison County would be equivalent to the annual water consumption of about 760 homes, underscoring the environmental benefits of the wastewater solution.