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Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

theguardian.com

1–10 of 18 posts

Re: Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

#2
> Asked about the leaked document, Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan described it as “obsolete” and said it “completely misrepresents Amazon’s current water usage strategy”.

> “A document’s existence doesn’t guarantee its accuracy or finality,” she said. “Meetings often reshape documents or reveal flawed findings or claims.”

Here's a person trained to speak in half truths. Am I the only one to find this revolting? Please tell me I'm not alone.

Re: Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

#4

> Asked about the leaked document, Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan described it as “obsolete” and said it “completely misrepresents Amazon’s current water usage strategy”. > “A document’s existence doesn’t guarantee its accuracy or finality,” she said. “Meetings often reshape documents or reveal flawed findings or claims.” Here's a person trained to speak in half truths. Am I the only one to find this revolting…

You're definitely not alone. Most people find this problematic.

Unfortunately, most of those people aren't elected.

Re: Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

#5

Let’s be a huge burden to local utilities that prices skyrocket, make everyone else pay for the infrastructure cost, and then act surprised when people vote to block us. Yes, we do need the data centers, but people have a saying too.

This article claims that's not happening: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/10/2...

Re: Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

#6

> Asked about the leaked document, Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan described it as “obsolete” and said it “completely misrepresents Amazon’s current water usage strategy”. > “A document’s existence doesn’t guarantee its accuracy or finality,” she said. “Meetings often reshape documents or reveal flawed findings or claims.” Here's a person trained to speak in half truths. Am I the only one to find this revolting…

> completely misrepresents Amazon’s current water usage

Because their current water use is much higher?

("Strategy" is a meaningless word here.)

Re: Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

#7
post #5

Let’s be a huge burden to local utilities that prices skyrocket, make everyone else pay for the infrastructure cost, and then act surprised when people vote to block us. Yes, we do need the data centers, but people have a saying too.

This article claims that's not happening: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/10/2...

There is a fairly obvious conflict of interest with that article.

Re: Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

#8

Let’s be a huge burden to local utilities that prices skyrocket, make everyone else pay for the infrastructure cost, and then act surprised when people vote to block us. Yes, we do need the data centers, but people have a saying too.

I don't mind Amazon using the water if they pay for it just like the rest of us.

Unfortunately companies tend to negotiate special deals. And for what? How many local people actually get jobs in a date centre? A few security guards, cleaners and gardeners?

I've seen these things they do everything remote and if that doesn't work they fly in a team.

Re: Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

#9

> Asked about the leaked document, Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan described it as “obsolete” and said it “completely misrepresents Amazon’s current water usage strategy”. > “A document’s existence doesn’t guarantee its accuracy or finality,” she said. “Meetings often reshape documents or reveal flawed findings or claims.” Here's a person trained to speak in half truths. Am I the only one to find this revolting…

Maybe, but it is entirely possible that someone put together some numbers and got them completely wrong, in which case those statements sound pretty reasonable. They could be misleading or outright false, but we don't know that either way based on those statements.

Re: Amazon strategised about keeping its datacentres' full water use secret

#10
What would help is an analysis of second order benefits of having a data center, both for the locality and the nation at large. Any realistic analytical framework will acknowledge that all industry incurs some costs, but often still has a net beneficial impact on society due to the positive effect it has on income.
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