The water project unveiled by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in Aragon is expected to save more than 10 billion liters of water a year once it is completed in 2030. The initiative, backed by an investment of €3.73 million, combines irrigation modernization with sensors, satellite imagery, and a digital twin to optimize water use.
AWS to modernize 25 kilometers of irrigation channels to reduce water losses in Aragon
The project will be developed jointly with the General Users’ Community of the Imperial Canal of Aragon and will receive technical support from Agrow Analytics. Its main measure will be the replacement of 25 kilometers of open-air irrigation channels with closed pipelines, aimed at reducing losses from evaporation and leaks.
The initiative includes field sensors to measure soil moisture and satellite imagery to more accurately calculate crops’ water needs. It also calls for the creation of a digital twin of the water system, a virtual replica that will allow managers to monitor its operation in real time from a screen.
The system will include technology capable of forecasting the most appropriate times and optimal amounts for irrigation. The project has already begun and is expected to deliver annual savings of several billion liters to the local community from its early implementation stages.
Jorge Azcón links AWS technology to sustainable growth in Aragon
The president of the Government of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, said during the AWS-organized Tech4Water forum that “sustainable economic growth is possible through technology.” According to Azcón, the data industry driven by the company makes it possible to save water and provide the autonomous region with more water resources than it consumes.
Azcón described the project as a “magnificent practical example” that economic development can move forward alongside environmental stewardship. He also said that the Aragonese government would support criteria related to water conservation and environmental sustainability.
Azcón questions national regulation of data centers
During his remarks, the Aragonese president also criticized national regulations related to data centers. In his view, “the path cannot be dictated by the restrictions set out in the articles of the Royal Decree issued by the national government.”
Azcón argued that companies dedicated to data infrastructure must invest in order to give societies “more than they receive.” He therefore considered the Royal Decree on data centers promoted by the Spanish government to be misguided.
