Amazon has announced a water replenishment project in the Yamuna River watershed near New Delhi. The initiative aims to restore existing water infrastructure and construct new water-saving systems. Once completed, the project is expected to replenish over 400 million litres of water annually. The announcement aligns with Amazon’s stated goal of returning more water to Indian communities than it uses in its direct operations by 2027.
New Delhi continues to face challenges in water management that affect both residents and businesses. The new project will be carried out in partnership with Hasten Regeneration, an organisation focused on ecosystem restoration. Additional collaborators include Arpan Seva Sansthan, and Clear Water Dynamics, a water engineering consultancy based in Bangalore.
“This collaborative action is exactly what New Delhi needs to help address its water crisis. By blending traditional wisdom with scientific rigour, we're building both water systems and community resilience,” said Sheeba Sen. “Our aim is to ensure Amazon’s funding is at its catalytic best, inviting communities as active participants and not just beneficiaries. The 400 million litres we expect to replenish annually represents a vital lifeline for communities across the Yamuna watershed.”
Project scope and components
The initiative includes a groundwater recharge programme that involves rehabilitating structures such as check dams and ponds, along with building new features like percolation pits and recharge shafts. Vegetation will be planted around these structures to reduce erosion, enhance soil moisture, and improve the surrounding environment. All sites will be selected within the Yamuna River watershed.
Sasmit Patra, a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, commented, “The inaugural Water Dialogues 2025 in Delhi marks an important step in advancing collaboration around India’s pressing water challenges. Amazon’s funding of its first water replenishment project in the Yamuna River watershed, expected to return more than 400 million litres of water annually is a commendable contribution.”
Broader water sustainability efforts
The initiative reflects broader discussions about shared responsibility in water stewardship. “It reflects the growing recognition that water stewardship is a shared responsibility. We welcome this effort and see it as an opportunity to encourage greater private sector engagement in delivering inclusive, community-driven solutions, especially in water-stressed urban and peri-urban regions,” Patra added.
Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations for Amazon India & Australia, noted, “Our country faces critical water challenges, with groundwater levels in New Delhi declining at an alarming rate. Our project with Hasten Regeneration focuses on revitalising the Yamuna basin through strategic infrastructure rehabilitation and new construction. This watershed-level approach not only aims to capture monsoon runoff and replenishes critical aquifers but also empowers local communities as stewards of these vital resources. This initiative represents a significant step toward our goal to replenish more water than we use in India by 2027.”
Ongoing and past water initiatives
In 2024, Amazon formalised its goal of returning more water than it uses in its direct operations in India by 2027. This goal builds on previous efforts to improve water efficiency across its facilities and invest in water restoration projects.
In collaboration with SayTrees, Amazon is currently restoring the Yamare and Sai Reddy Lakes. These efforts include desilting, repairing water channels, and reconstructing lake boundaries. The projects, initiated in January 2025, aim to replenish over 270 million litres of water to Yamare Lake annually and nearly 300 million litres to Sai Reddy Lake.
Since 2020, Amazon’s water-related initiatives in India have contributed to long-term water and sanitation improvements, reportedly benefiting more than one million people.
