Amazon Environmental Efforts: Replenishing Telangana's Sai Reddy Lake

A restoration project by Amazon India at Sai Reddy Lake, located near Hyderabad, is expected to triple the water volume of the lake once completed. Working with Say Trees, a local environmental organization, Amazon plans to replenish close to 300 million litres of water annually, with the objective to benefit the local community. Once finalized, this project will help Amazon make progress toward its plan to return more water to communities in India than it uses by 2027.

Amazon and SayTreesare working toward restoring Sai ReddyLake, which has experienced significant degradation, partly due to its past use as a waste disposal area. Rejuvenation efforts aim to expand the acreage of the water body three-fold, from the existing 10 acres to33acres. This project aims to not only transform Sai Reddy Lake into a thriving ecosystem, but also significantly improve water availability and groundwater infiltration, with the goal of benefiting both the environment and surrounding communities.

Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (ITE&C) and Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana said: “The onus of water management doesn’t always lie with the government. We always welcome such multi-stakeholder partnerships that are crucial to addressing the water crisis in India. These lake restoration projects will meet the drinking water and sanitation needs of significant communities, easing the burden on water supply in peak summers.” 

Abhinav Singh, Vice President of Operations, Amazon India, said: “We recognize that water is a collective responsibility. It's a vital resource for communities, agriculture, and business continuity in India. At Amazon, we are not only focused on improving water efficiency in our operations, but also committed to collaborating with local communities to create resilient water solutions.”

Deokant Payasi, Trustee with SayTrees, said:“These models where civic society and businesses come together to deliver on water conservation goals are the most viable and efficient. The private sector’s acknowledgment and investment is crucial to the success of such projects. They will improve communities’ access to water and restore the natural balance of the ecosystem.”

With Telangana facing acute water shortages with almost all major reservoirs drying up due to insufficient monsoon rainfall, the state is dealing with a drinking water crisis in several areas. Consequently, water security has emerged as a pressing challenge. Through such local efforts, Amazon intends to contribute to long-term water security in the region.

Amazon has also invested in restoration of Yamare Lake in Bengaluru. These efforts build 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. 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.