Amazon is funding its first-ever water replenishment project in the Yamuna River watershed, upstream from New Delhi. The project, a part of Amazon’s initiatives to tackle water scarcity and over-extraction of groundwater, is expected to replenish more than 400 million litres of water annually once completed. Announced at Amazon Water Dialogues in New Delhi, the project will help Amazon make progress toward its stated commitment of returning more water to communities in India than used in its direct operations by 2027.
The first edition of the Amazon Water Dialogues was held in New Delhi on June 5. The event brought together policymakers, experts and Amazon leadership to deliberate and take collective action on issues around water sustainability. The event hosted key stakeholders in the water industry, such as Sheeba Sen, co-founder, Hasten Regeneration, Ramveer Tanwar, Pond Man and Manoj Singh, Associate Director - Climate, Agriculture & Food Systems, The Natural Conservancy, and Swetha Ramdas, Amazon Sustainability leader, among others, who came together to deliberate on challenges and initiatives regarding water as a scarce resource.
Amazon’s collaboration with Hasten Regeneration
The national capital faces significant water management challenges, with water supply issues impacting people’s daily lives and operations of businesses.
The New Delhi water project will be implemented in cooperation with Hasten Regeneration, a social enterprise and developer of ecosystem restoration projects. Hasten Regeneration will collaborate with Arpan Seva Sansthan (winner of India’s ‘National Water Award’ in 2023) and Clear Water Dynamics, a Bangalore based consultancy firm specialising in water engineering infrastructure projects. “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,” says 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.”
Building new water structures
The project will feature a groundwater recharge programme. It combines the rehabilitation of existing water infrastructure, including check dams and ponds, besides working towards the construction of new water-saving structures such as percolation pits and recharge shafts. Additionally, planting vegetation around these structures can help to prevent erosion, increase the moisture in soil, and improve local landscapes. Rehabilitation sites will be selected within the Yamuna River watershed.
Sasmit Patra, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, says, “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.”
Water stewardship, a shared responsibility
“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,” he adds.
"Our country faces critical water challenges, with groundwater levels in New Delhi declining at an alarming rate," says Abhinav Singh, Vice President, Operations, Amazon India & Australia. "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."
Amazon’s goal to improve water efficiency at all sites
In 2024, Amazon announced a goal to return more water to communities in India than it uses in its direct operations by 2027. The new goal builds on Amazon’s work over the last several years to improve water efficiency at its sites in India, and on investments in projects that return water to critically water-stressed communities. For example, Amazon is collaborating with SayTrees, a local environmental organisation, to undertake a comprehensive restoration of Yamare and Sai Reddy Lakes. The projects, underway since January 2025, involve desilting the lakes, restoring bund formations, and repairing inlet and outlet structures. These efforts are expected to replenish more than 270 million litres of water to Yamare Lake annually, and close to 300 million litres of water to Sai Reddy Lake, tripling its size. Investments previously made by Amazon in India since 2020 have already enabled long-lasting, climate-resilient water and sanitation solutions to benefit more than 1 million people.
More information about Amazon’s commitment to water conservation and restoration can be found on Amazon’s Water Stewardship website.
