Google to Work with Fort Wayne on Water Saving Project

The city of Fort Wayne is finalizing a deal with Google that could save up to 182 million gallons of water a year.

Classical Courthouse and Skyscrapers in Fort Wayne, Street View Perspective — Source: Nicholas Klein / Getty

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The city of Fort Wayne is finalizing a deal with Google to save 182 million gallons of water annually.

The $1.1 million project aims to increase efficiency and reduce operational costs at the Three Rivers Water Filtration Plant. The project involves adding smart sensors at the plant to measure sludge thickness and recycle water.

Google is monitoring the water usage as part of its goal to replenish 120% of the water it uses by 2030. Last year, the tech giant self-reported 64% freshwater replenishment, up from 18% in 2024.

“We report this annually so that folks can look it up and see how we’re doing,” said Liz Schwab, a development manager with Google’s Data Center team. “You can check out how much water we’re using in Fort Wayne and hold us accountable to it, as we report year over year.”

Schwab said using water at a data center is one way to do very efficient cooling.

Google has yet to report on its water usage in Fort Wayne. Right now, the city uses roughly 1.5 million gallons of water a day to rinse away the sludge.

Fort Wayne has also submitted a second proposal to Google for 2026. It involves lining municipal water mains to seal up underground leaks.