Microsoft wants to replenish more water than it consumes by 2030

Xbox maker Microsoft has pledged to replenish more water than it consumes by 2030 in a bit to drive sustainability.

The latest eco-promise comes a few months after the company committed to wiping out its carbon footprint by 2050, and would see Microsoft review its water consumption habits to become 'water positive' over the next decade. 

With that aim in mind, the tech giant will deploy a replenishment strategy that will include investment in projects such as wetland restoration and the removal of impervious surfaces like asphalt to help replenish water back into the basins that need it most. 

It will also look to introduce a company-wide sustainability design standard that will require water conservation practices and tech to be introduced across all of its global locations. 

"Our new Silicon Valley campus, opening later this year in California, features an on-site rainwater collection system and waste treatment plant to ensure 100 percent of the site’s non-potable water comes from onsite recycled sources," reads a blog post, explaining how Microsoft will implement sustainable design practices. 

"In India, our newest building on our Hyderabad campus will support 100 percent treatment and reuse of wastewater on-site for landscaping, flushing, and cooling tower makeup. At our headquarters redevelopment in Puget Sound, all new office buildings will reuse harvested rainwater in flush fixtures and low-flow systems, which is projected to save more than 5.8 million gallons annually."

The company has also committed to digitizing water data to help better understand where water stress is emerging and optimize its replenishment investments. You can read the company's extensive replenishment plan in full over on the Microsoft blog.