Norsk 
Marking The State of Water Stewardship in an AI Driven Era
The world is experiencing increased demands on energy and water use, primarily driven by transformative technologies such as AI as well as extreme weather events and an evolving economy.
- Ved 2030 er det anslått at KI-relatert vekst vil kreve ekstra kraft tilsvarende de årlige behovene til India1 og like mye vann for å møte USAs årlige drikkevannsbehov2.
- Data centers could use more than 1 trillion gallons of fresh water annually by 20273.
- There is a projected 56% gap between freshwater supply and demand by 20304 and the demand for water is projected to increase by up to 30% by 20505.
As a global sustainability leader, Ecolab is helping solve these water challenges. Our 2025 study provides insights into the latest water perceptions and concerns, guiding businesses, governments and nonprofits to develop effective water strategies. Understanding public perception is essential to help inform these strategies and advance towards a water-secure future.
Key Findings From The 2025 Ecolab Watermark Study
Water: The Hidden Cost and Opportunity of AI
While many consumers recognize AI's substantial power consumption, fewer are aware of its significant water footprint. This awareness gap is particularly notable in Asia Pacific, IMEA, and Latin America.
Consumers’ perceptions of the extent to which each resource is currently used to support AI operations:
Kina
81 % Power
77% Water
IMEA
78 % Power
61 % Vann
Latin-Amerika
68 % Power
51 % Vann
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
60 % Power
43 % Vann
Europa
59 % Power
46 % Vann
USA
55 % Power
46 % Vann
Data illustrates agreement percentages:
Businesses should leverage AI
for responsible natural resource use
Trust in businesses to manage the power demands of AI operations responsibly
IMEA
2026
76 %
63 %
Kina
2026
72 %
77 %
Latin-Amerika
70 %
49 %
Europa
2026
54 %
37 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
51 %
37 %
USA
49 %
39 %
Smart Water Management: Consumers Want Businesses to Reuse Water Smartly
Despite a widespread consumer belief that businesses should prioritize smart water management to address water scarcity, fewer people feel these companies are successfully putting water reuse solutions into practice.
Percent of consumers who believe businesses are reducing, reusing, recycling, restoring and recovering water throughout their daily operations.
USA
43 %
Europa
44 %
Latin-Amerika
48 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
48 %
IMEA
67 %
Kina
74 %
A widespread consensus exists among consumers globally:
Businesses must prioritize investments in technologies and infrastructure to bolster water resource resilience.
to protect water resources from climate change:
Latin-Amerika
84 %
85 %
IMEA
2026
82 %
82 %
Kina
2026
77 %
76 %
Europa
2026
72 %
71 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
71 %
70 %
USA
68 %
67 %
Businesses demonstrating responsible water practices can expect strong consumer interest.
Percentage of consumers willing to
actively seek out more information
from these companies:
Latin-Amerika
82 %
IMEA
2026
78 %
Kina
2026
68 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
61 %
Europa
2026
61 %
USA
61 %
Water Partnerships
No single entity can tackle water challenges on its own. By forging powerful partnerships, businesses, governments and communities can accelerate coordinated action to unlock solutions and build a water-resilient future for all.
Across most regions, consumers hold businesses (including manufacturers) and governments similarly accountable for water conservation. However, both still face criticism for not contributing enough compared to individuals, non-profits and conservation organizations.
The data below details consumer perceptions of how much each entity has done to date to conserve water in their country:
Latin-Amerika
42 % Businesses
55 % Individuals
48 % Offentlig sektor
60 % Non-profits
Europa
2026
45 % Businesses
56 % Individuals
45 % Offentlig sektor
54 % Non-profits
USA
47 % Businesses
58 % Individuals
48 % Offentlig sektor
56 % Non-profits
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
2026
48 % Businesses
49 % Individuals
46 % Offentlig sektor
50 % Non-profits
IMEA
2026
63 % Businesses
69 % Individuals
79 % Offentlig sektor
67 % Non-profits
Kina
2026
80 % Businesses
79 % Individuals
84 % Offentlig sektor
79 % Non-profits
Despite global water challenges, consumers exhibit significant optimism about our ability to tackle them.
A resounding majority – over 60% of consumers in every region – believe that water scarcity
can be effectively addressed.
The extent to which consumers
agree that water scarcity
can be effectively addressed:
Latin-Amerika
84 %
IMEA
2026
83 %
Kina
2026
73 %
USA
67 %
Europa
2026
66 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
61 %
Extreme Weather Events
Consumers perceive that changes in weather and the increase in natural disasters exacerbate water stress,
leading to challenges in both water availability and quality.
Percentage of consumers who are connecting climate change to worsening water stress:
IMEA
2026
81 %
Kina
2026
80 %
Latin-Amerika
79 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
2026
69 %
Europa
2026
69 %
USA
65 %
Consumers clearly demand action on climate change, placing a strong expectation
on both corporate and governmental leadership.
Percentages of consumers who consider
it highly important for governments og businesses to prioritize efforts to lessen
the impact of climate change:
Latin-Amerika
87 %
88 %
IMEA
2026
81 %
81 %
Kina
2026
76 %
77 %
Europa
2026
71 %
71 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
70 %
69 %
USA
67 %
67 %
Notable Annual Trends
As access to clean and safe water continues to be a critical global issue, consumer concern levels are noteworthy.
How concerned consumers are about clean and safe water, broken down by region:
Kina
2026
96 %
Latin-Amerika
92 %
USA
Europa
2026
69 %
IMEA
2026
67 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
2026
63 %
Consumers across most regions consistently identify Agriculture and
Food & Beverage manufacturing as the industries most responsible for water use.
Agricultural
Mat & Drikke
IMEA
2026
52 %
37 %
Latin-Amerika
48 %
44 %
Asiatiske stillehavsregion
47 %
36 %
Europa
2026
47 %
33 %
USA
43 %
31 %
Kina
2026
29 %
28 %
Fremme vannforvaltning
For over 100 years, Ecolab has worked to protect the resources vital to life by prioritizing water stewardship in our own operations and those of our customers. Across more than 40 industries worldwide, Ecolab helps businesses respond to climate and water challenges by minimizing their water use in critical processes. We help our customers drive lasting impact and achieve an exponential return on investment (eROI) by aligning climate, water, and business growth goals.
Konseptene våre
With more than one trillion gallons of water managed annually, Ecolab combines Connected Chemistry™
with digital insights and industry expertise to drive sustainability and growth in tandem.
Learn more about how Ecolab can help you take a smart water management approach in your operations.
Identify Opportunities with the Smart Water Navigator
Take an Enterprise Approach with Ecolab Water for Climate™
Manage Water Performance with 3D TRASAR™ Technology
Visualize Insights with ECOLAB3D™ Digital Services
Our Projects
When you address water resiliency, business can thrive. The following case studies highlight how Ecolab helps deliver a positive impact on our customers' business, water and climate goals:
Our Partnerships
Our partnerships with leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) strengthen our understanding and ability to impact global challenges facing our business, customers and communities. De inkluderer
- Bloomberg Law, “AI Computing on Pace to Consume More Energy Than India, Arm Says,” April 2024: news.bloomberglaw.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-computing-on-pace-to-consume-more-energy-than-india-arm-says↵
- Ecolab analysis of data from Lei, N., & Masanet, E. (2022) and Goldman Sachs (2024)↵
- Making AI Less “Thirsty”: Uncovering and Addressing the Secret Water Footprint of AI Models: www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/AI-poised-to-drive-160-increase-in-power-demand and TIME, “How AI Is Fueling a Boom in Data Centers and Energy Demand”: time.com/6987773/ai-data-centers-energy-usage-climate-change/↵
- World Resource Institute: “Setting Enterprise Targets: Modeling Downstream Water Use and Consumption”: Setting Enterprise Targets: Modeling Downstream Water Use and Consumption | World Resource Institute↵
- World Resource Institute, “Securing Freshwater for All”: www.wri.org/freshwater↵