Water release coupled to the association of gal repressor with DNA is measured from the sensitivity of the binding constant to the solution osmotic pressure, using neutral solutes that are typically excluded from polar protein and DNA surfaces. Differences in water release for binding of repressor to different sequences are linked with differences in specificity and binding energies. With sucrose, the specific binding of repressor to operator sequences is accompanied by the release of 130 water molecules. No water release is seen for the weak, non-specific binding of repressor to poly(dI-dC).(dI-dC). A difference in the release of six water molecules is seen even for the binding of gal repressor to two different operator sequences that differ in affinity by only a factor of two.