Ecolab Watermark™ Study

The Ecolab Watermark Study is an annual report that measures the state of water stewardship through its importance, usage, responsibility and connection to global trends, such as artificial intelligence, smart water management and extreme weather events, among key consumer populations around the world.

Read the 2025 Report in English

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.

By 2030, it is estimated that AI-related growth will demand additional power equivalent to the annual needs of India¹ and as much water to meet the annual drinking water needs of the United States².
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:

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China

81% Power
77% Water

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IMEA

78% Power
61% Water

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Latin America

68% Power
51% Water

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Asia Pacific

60% Power
43% Water

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Europe

59% Power
46% Water

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United States

55% Power
46% Water

While adults largely support businesses leveraging AI for sustainable resource management, they express lower trust in businesses to manage AI’s own power and water consumption without regulatory oversight.

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

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IMEA

76%
63%

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China

72%
77%

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Latin America

68% Power
51% Water

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Asia Pacific

60% Power
43% Water

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Europe

59% Power
46% Water

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United States

55% Power
46% Water

Our Expertise: Powering AI Sustainably

AI, Water and the Future of Business: How Ecolab Helps Turn Global Water Challenges Into a Competitive

Read the Article

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Cooling for data centers is a hot topic at Datacloud Global Congress 2025

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The Business of Water in the Data Center

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Turning Water Challenges into Opportunities in 2025

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Discover More Of The Study’s Findings

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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.

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United States

43%

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Europe

44%

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Latin America

48%

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Asia Pacific

48%

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IMEA

67%

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China

74%

A widespread consensus exists among consumers globally:
Businesses must prioritize investments in technologies and infrastructure to bolster water resource resilience.

Percentage of consumers who believe businesses should invest in technologies and infrastructure to protect water resources from climate change:

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Latin America

84%
85%

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IMEA

82%
82%

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China

77%
76%

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Europe

72%
71%

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Asia Pacific

71%
70%

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United States

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:

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Latin America

82%

IMEA RWP.jpg

IMEA

78%

China RWP.jpg

China

68%

AP RWP.jpg

Asia Pacific

61%

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Europe

61%

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United States

61%

Our Expertise: Managing Water the Way Nature Does — Circularly.

Circular Water Reduces Costs, Water and Energy Usage for Linde Gases (Yantai)

Read the Case Study

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Ecolab to Acquire Ovivo’s Electronics Ultra-Pure Water Business

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Ecolab Launches New Solution to Revolutionize Data Center Performance Amidst AI Boom

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Discover More Of The Study’s Findings

Water Partnerships

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:

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Latin America

42% Businesses
55% Individuals
48% Government
60% Non-profits

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Europe

45% Businesses
56% Individuals
45% Government
54% Non-profits

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United States

47% Businesses
58% Individuals
48% Government
56% Non-profits

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Asia Pacific

48% Businesses
49% Individuals
46% Government
50% Non-profits

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IMEA

63% Businesses
69% Individuals
79% Government
67% Non-profits

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China

80% Businesses
79% Individuals
84% Government
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:

WCP LA.jpg

Latin America

84%

WCP IMEA.jpg

IMEA

83%

WCP China.jpg

China

73%

WCP US.jpg

United States

67%

WCP EU.jpg

Europe

66%

WCP AP.jpg

Asia Pacific

61%

Discover More Of The Study’s Findings

Extreme Weather Events

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:

EWE IMEA.jpg

IMEA

81%

EWE China.jpg

China

80%

EWE LA.jpg

Latin America

79%

EWE AP.jpg

Asia Pacific

69%

EWE EU.jpg

Europe

69%

EWE US.jpg

United States

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 and businesses to prioritize efforts to lessen the impact of climate change:

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Latin America

87%
88%

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IMEA

81%
81%

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China

76%
77%

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Europe

71%
71%

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Asia Pacific

70%
69%

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United States

67%
67%

Discover More Of The Study’s Findings

Notable Annual Trends

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:

CSW China.jpg

China

96%

CSW LA.jpg

Latin America

92%

CSW US.jpg

United States

79%

CSW EU.jpg

Europe

69%

CSW IMEA.jpg

IMEA

67%

CSW AP.jpg

Asia Pacific

63%

Consumers across most regions consistently identify Agriculture and Food & Beverage manufacturing as the industries most responsible for water use.

Agricultural
Food & Beverage

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IMEA

52%
37%

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Latin America

48%
44%

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Asia Pacific

47%
36%

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Europe

47%
33%

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United States

43%
31%

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China

29%
28%

Discover More Of The Study’s Findings

Read the 2025 Report in English Download Executive Summary in English

Advancing Water Stewardship

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.

Our Solutions

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

Go to Smart Water Navigator

Take an Enterprise Approach with Ecolab Water for Climate™

Go to Water for Climate™

Manage Water Performance with 3D TRASAR™ Technology

Go to 3D TRASAR™

Visualize Insights with ECOLAB3D™ Digital Services

Go to ECOLAB3D™

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:

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Our Partnerships

Our partnerships with leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) strengthen our understanding and ability to impact global challenges facing our business, customers and communities. They include:

Get In Touch with Us

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Get in Touch

Ecolab Global Headquarters
Office of Corporate Sustainability
1 Ecolab Place
St. Paul, MN 55102

Submit your comments and suggestions via the form, and our Corporate Sustainability Team, based in St. Paul, will assist.

Contact Our Corporate Responsibility Team

Thank you for your interest!