Meta Platforms Inc.

Meta, a U.S.-based technology company headquartered in Menlo Park, California, operates platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Threads, and Reality Labs. The company is also expanding its artificial intelligence and data-center infrastructure. Led by Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta incorporates water use into its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance due to the cooling requirements of its data centers.

Meta's most significant water-related achievement is its hydrologically connected restoration model. The company not only funds a range of water projects but also ensures that each initiative is linked to the same water sources, watersheds, and local stress conditions relevant to its operations. Meta uses HydroSHEDS data, WRI Aqueduct water-risk metrics, source-water locations, and local watershed context to identify optimal restoration locations, particularly in engineered systems where water is transported over long distances. The project process is rigorous and practical: Meta begins with risk assessment and stakeholder mapping, identifies restoration opportunities, estimates water benefits, supports implementation, and relies on third-party validation and annual reporting. This approach builds credibility, where each project addresses basin-level needs, local relevance, and measurable benefits, rather than being classified solely as a corporate donation. The company also updates its water-risk assessments every three years.

In 2024, Meta's operational restoration projects returned over 1.59 billion gallons of water to high- and medium-stress regions. The Volumetric Water Benefit Report includes more than 40 projects across nine watersheds, covering conservation, ecosystem restoration, water supply reliability, WASH access, and water quality.

A notable example is the N-Drip Irrigation Conversion project in the Platte River Basin, Nebraska. Meta supported the transition of 100 acres of cropland from traditional flood irrigation to N-Drip precision drip irrigation, which delivers water directly to crop root zones. It uses sensors and smart irrigation management to monitor soil moisture and optimize water-use decisions, thereby reducing evaporation and runoff. Over a ten-year period, the project is projected to provide 65.5 million gallons of volumetric water benefit annually while enabling farmers to maintain crop yields in a basin challenged by water scarcity and agricultural demand.

Another example is the Peatland Restoration project in the Liffey River Basin in Ireland's Wicklow Mountains. This initiative restores 450 hectares of degraded blanket bogs that have been impacted by drainage, peat extraction, fires, and overgrazing. By employing rewetting techniques such as peat dams and coir bunding, the project enhances water storage, supports biodiversity, protects carbon-rich habitats, and reduces wildfire risk. The water benefit is quantifiable, with an estimated 21 to 43 million gallons returned annually over a ten-year period.

Meta supports river-flow and irrigation initiatives in the U.S. Southwest. The Middle Rio Grande Flow Restoration Project in New Mexico maintains the 35-mile Isleta Reach during dry summer months, supporting wetland vegetation, fish habitats, and migratory bird populations. This project is projected to restore 81.5 million gallons of water annually. In Arizona, the Colorado River Indian Tribes Drip Irrigation Project replaces flood irrigation with drip irrigation, reducing evaporation and runoff while enhancing agricultural resilience. This initiative is expected to restore approximately 96.4 million gallons of water per year.

A technology-driven example is Meta's FIDO AI leak detection project in Farmington, New Mexico. Meta funds AI-based leak detection across 300 kilometers of clean-water pipeline, enabling the system to identify and rank leaks by size to prioritize repairs. This project delivers between 248 million and 391 million gallons of water benefits annually and helps water security in the Colorado River Basin.